Intestinal helminth infections among school children in Visakhapatnam

A study was carried out between 1993-1994 to determine the prevalence and intensity of intestinal helminth infections among 217 primary school children in Relliveedhi, a slum area in Visakhapatnam. The children were between 7 to 13 years of age and belonged to lower socio-economic status. Stool samples collected were processed by modified formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation technique to determine ova counts (EPG). One hundred and seventy seven children were infected with one or more of the intestinal parasites viz. Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm. The overall prevalence of infection was eighty two per cent. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most common infection with a prevalence of 75% followed by T. trichiura (66%) and hookworm (9%). All infected children received a single dose of albendazole (400 mg/child). Single stool samples were examined over a period of nine months to study reinfection dynamics.