Study on enteric parasitosis and nutritional status of school children in remote hilly areas in Nepal

We examined the effect of enteric parasitosis on nutritional status of school children in remote hilly areas in Nepal. A total of 325 school children aged 6 to 19 years (boys: 214; girls: 111) who provided both blood and stool samples were included. The height (Ht) (cm), weight (Wt) (kg), age, sex, ethnic of each child were recorded. Fecal samples were examined by direct smear method in duplicate. The blood hemoglobin (Hb) was estimated by Sahli's method in the field (Nepal) whereas the serum protein (Prot), albumin (Alb), Alb/globulin ratio (A/G), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), cholesterol (Chol), triglycerides (Trig), and serum iron (SI) were measured in Japan. Of the total, 201 (61.8%) had enteric parasites, predominantly the soil transmitted helminths. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most common parasite detected (72.6%) followed by hookworm (16.2%) and others. Protozoan infections were very low (<6.0%). Of the total 201 parasite positive children, 15.4% had multiple infections. No significant differences in Ht and Wt in parasite positive and negative boys and girls of both age groups (< 11 and 11-19 years) were observed (P>0.05). Overall, no significant differences in levels of Hb, Prot, A/G, SGPT, Chol, Trig and SI in the parasite positive and negative children were observed (P>0. 05) but in Alb level (P<0.05). When, the levels of these parameters were compared in the age groups of <11 and 11-19 years, similar findings were observed in both the age groups. But, in the age group of 11-19 years, a significant difference was observed in Trig level (P<0.05). No differences were found in the levels of these parameters in the parasitic positive and negative children belonging to Dalits and different ethnic namely, Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman, respectively.