Prevalence of Intestinal Parasite With Respect To Socio-Economic Aspect in Dom Community Of Janakpur Municipality, Dhanusha
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Central Department of Zoology Institute of science and Technology Tribhuvan University Kirtipur, Kathmandu Nepal
Abstract
The Dom is considered the lowest untouchable caste groups of the Terai. They are not
allowed to fetch water either from the private or public tube-wells. They have separate
tube-wells for their own use or go to the nearby stream/pond to fetch water. Making a
variety of baskets from the bamboo is their traditional caste occupation. In addition,
grave-digging and cremating dead bodies are also considered their traditional occupation.
These are their main source of earning a livelihood (Sah 2005). The present study was
carried out to analyze the prevalence rate of gastrointestinal parasite infection among
people of Dom community. A group of 210 people were enrolled in the study out of
which 80 were females and 130 were males. Stool smear examination was performed on
each individual to identify the parasites. The overall frequency of intestinal parasites
observed in the study were 33% protozoa and 4% helminths respectively. The observed
protozoan parasites include E. histolytica and G. lamblia, which is present in both the
sexes. Similarly the helminth parasites observed were Hookworm and A. lumbricoides.
But A. lumbricoides is present only in female, not in male. The overall prevalence
indicated that males were more infected with parasite infection than female. The age wise
prevalence indicated maximum parasitic infection in 5-20 years of age group. The
conclusion from KAP survey indicated that poor sanitary condition, lack of knowledge of
parasitic diseases and its transmission, poor economic status and compulsions of the
culture enhanced the percentage of parasitic infection in the Dom community of
Janakpur.