Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Earthquake Victims of Byasi Tole of Bhaktapur Municipality, Nepal

Abstract

Nepal has experienced a catastrophic earthquake on 25th April 2015 and 12th May 2015. The study was carried out between January to June 2016 to observe the prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites in earthquake victims of Byasi Tole of Bhaktapur Municipality. During the survey it was found that people were living in crowded circumstances with a limited number of rudimentary tents, lack of food, water and lack of toilets. Altogether 82 stool samples were randomly collected from different age groups and sexes and were preserved and examined by direct wet mount method. The study was based on stool examination and questionnaire survey. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was obtained 51(62.20%), where infection rate was higher in females 27(77.14%) than that of males 24(51.06%) with statistically insignificant association (p›0.05). Whereas, age-wise intestinal parasites were found to be the highest among elderly people of age group above 61 years 4(80%) and 11-20 years 8(80%) and found minimum in the age group 41-50 years 5(38.46%). Statistically significant difference was found in infection rate among different age group of people (P˂0.05). The distribution of helminthic infection 45(88.24%) were higher than the protozoan infection 6(11.76%) among the people. Altogether five species of intestinal parasites were detected, the most common were Ascaris lumbricoides 31(60.78%). The study also showed that single infection was found higher 43(84.30%) followed by double and multiple infections in the people. According to the questionnaire method, prevalence of parasitic infection showed significant difference with awareness, type of drinking water, hand washing behavior, defecating place and use of deforming tablets, whereas insignificant association with hand washing time before-after meal and after the use of toilet. Thus, it was found that an upsurge in the transmission of infectious disease and outbreaks following natural disasters are associated with prolonged after-effects of the earthquake. Hence, to control the parasitic infection among infected people there should be health awareness, well managed public toilet, proper management and provision of antihelminthic drugs