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Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
10:57

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children

Published on: August 22, 2012

Intestinal helminthic infestation in children

M R Chandrasekhar1, C N Nagesha

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Karnataka Institute of Medical, Sciences, Hubli, Karnataka.

Indian Journal of Pathology & Microbiology
|March 18, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Intestinal helminthic infections affect 68% of children under six, with rural children experiencing higher rates than urban children. Ascaris lumbricoides is the most common parasite found in both groups.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Parasitology
  • Public health

Background:

  • Intestinal helminthic infections are a significant global health concern, particularly in children.
  • Prevalence and species distribution vary geographically and between urban and rural settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of intestinal helminthic infections in children under six years of age.
  • To compare infection rates between urban and rural populations.
  • To identify the predominant helminth species and common co-infections.

Main Methods:

  • Fecal samples were collected from 1000 children under six years of age.
  • Samples were analyzed to detect the presence of intestinal helminth ova.
  • Parasite species were identified, and infection rates were calculated for urban and rural groups.

Main Results:

  • Overall, 68.0% of children were found to have intestinal helminthic infections.
  • Rural children exhibited a higher prevalence (79.2%) compared to urban children (56.8%).
  • Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent single species, while Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura co-infection was common. Necator americanus was the predominant hookworm species.

Conclusions:

  • Intestinal helminthiasis is highly prevalent in children under six, with a notable disparity between rural and urban areas.
  • Ascaris lumbricoides is the dominant helminth, and co-infections are frequent, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions.
  • Necator americanus is the primary hookworm species in the studied region.

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