Enterobiasis and its relationship with anal itching and enuresis among school-age children in Calabar, Nigeria

The prevalence of enterobiasis and its relationship with anal itching and enuresis were investigated among 799, randomly selected children aged 5-14 years, who lived, either in an area of high population density or one with a much lower population density, in Calabar, Nigeria. The eggs of Enterobius vermicularis were found in anal swabs (collected with transparent adhesive tape) from 60 (7.5%) of the subjects tested, with the prevalence of infection appearing markedly higher in the 403 children from the area with a high population density than in the 396 from the less densely populated area (11.7% v. 3.3%; P < 0.05). Questionnaire-based interviews were used to determine which of the children suffered from anal itching, enuresis or both. Compared with the egg-negative subjects, the 60 children who were egg-positive for Enterobius were found to be much more likely to be suffering from anal itching (78.3% v. 28.3%; P < 0.05) or enuresis (53.3% v. 36.4%; P < 0.05). Enterobiasis is therefore not a problem that is restricted to the temperate regions of the world, and may be a cause of enuresis or at least a contributory factor in the development of this complaint.