Study on the Prevalence of Commonly Occuring four Human Intestinal Parasites In Jalari And Kumal Communities In Lekhnath Municipality, Kaski, Nepal

Abstract

Intestinal parasitic infections have always been an important public health problem in the tropical and sub-tropical areas particularly in developing countries like Nepal, where the humid climate, the unsanitary environment, poor socio-economic conditions and over dispersion of parasites within the human communities contribute to the problem. The general objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in the people of two ethnic groups (Jalari and Kumal) of Lekhnath Municipality ward number 9 and 1 respectively in Kaski District, Nepal. A total of 236 stool samples of the persons of different age and sex groups were randomly collected as 104 samples from Jalari and 132 samples from Kumal community from 1 June 2003 to 27 September 2003. The samples were examined by direct wet mount technique in normal saline (0.9%), iodine solution and 2.5% Potassium Dichromate and data were analyzed using Microsoft excel sheets (tables and diagrams), statistical analysis (chi-square, test in 95% confidence interval). Out of 236 stool samples examined, 56.0% (132) persons were infected with intestinal parasites with the prevalence 54.8% in Jalari and 56.8% Kumal community without any significant (P>0.05, 95% CI). The prevalence in males and females were 59.6% (31 out of 52) and 50.0% (26 out of 52) respectively in Jalari community without any significant with age-wise (P> 0.05, 95% CI) and sex-wise (P> 0.05, 95% CI). The prevalence of parasites were Entamoeba histolytica: 4.8%, Giardia lamblia: 11.5% Ascaris lumbricoides: 15.4 Trichuris trichiura: 2.9% in Jalari community. The prevalence in males and females were 63.9% (39 out of 61) and 50.7% (36 out of 71) respectively in Kumal community with statistically significant (P<0.05, 95% CI) with sex-wise and not significant with age-wise ( P>0.05, 95% CI). The prevalence of parasites were Entamoeba histolytica: 6.8%, Giardia lamblia: 16.0% Ascaris lumbricoides: 19.0% Trichuris trichiura: 3.0% in Kumal community. Different factors are considered risk factors for the parasite transmission. These are infected food, water, soil, pattern of defecation, food habit, water drinking habit, domestic animals in houses, and types of occupation, level of education, family income and knowledge to specific parasites on the basis of statistical analysis in 95% CI. Epidemiological studies are important for identifying etiological factors that play a role in risk assessment and in decision-making. The molecular method should be applied and the case-controlled study should be made to confirm the roles of risk factors to transmit intestinal parasites in these ethnic groups in Nepal.