PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTH INFECTION AMONG UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN IN MATERNAL HEALTHCARE CENTRES IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Globally, soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) infection has been identified as the main cause of illness and disease where more than two billion people are infected. Specifically, STHs infections during childhood remain a major public health challenge in developing countries, including Nigeria where children have been reported to be at highest ris Children under the age of six are at a greater risk of contracting Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) infections. This study was designed to determine prevalence and factors associated with soil-transmitted helminth infection among under five children in maternal healthcare centres in Ibadan, Nigeria. The objectives of this study were to determine prevalence and factors associated with soil transmitted helminth infection among under five children. A cross sectional survey was conducted among 384 people in two maternal healthcare centers in Ibadan. A total of 100 stool samples were collected between December 2021 and January 2022 from two different locations and parasitological examination of the stool samples were done for the presence of STH eggs using a Kato-Katz thick smear technique. Furthermore, questionnaires which probed into their knowledge of cause, symptoms, predisposing factors to infection, level of hygiene and sanitation of each respondent were administered. The spatial distribution of STH prevalence were determined. The parasitological examination of the 100 stool samples collected showed that 36% were positive for STHs. Parasite types found included Hookworm (Necator americanus (20.9%) and Ancylostoma duodenale (20.6%)), Trichuris trichiura (24.8%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (37.5%). Adeoyo hospital had the highest prevalence of Ascaris (26.1%) while Oni and Sons hospital had the highest prevalence of Trichuris (24.8%). The male gender had a higher infection of Ascaris (52.4%) while the female gender had a higher infection rate of Trichuris (72.7%). There was no statistical relationship between knowledge of STH and infections. The nearness of reasonable STHs eggs/ hatchlings in soil proposes conceivable dynamic transmission and tall rate of introduction to infective operators among the school children. There's a require for wellbeing instruction on hazard related with STH contamination within the environment. The think about recommends chemotherapy treatment to control the disease within the consider range.