A survey of gastrointestinal parasites in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria

To study the epidemiology of intestinal parasites in Ogun State, Nigeria, 479 stool specimens were examined at a hospital in Abeokuta during the rainy season in June 1986. Intestinal helminths and/or protozoa were present in 297 samples (62%). 41.1% of the specimens showed a single infection, 34% showed double, 20% triple and 5% quadruple infection. The most commonly found worm was Ascaris lumbricoides (in 40% of specimens), followed by Trichuris trichiura (23.2%), hookworms (19.2%), Strongyloides stercoralis (2.1%) and Dicrocoelium sp. (0.4%). Pathogenic protozoa found were Entamoeba histolytica (7%), Giardia intestinalis (4.2%), Blastocystis hominis (2.5%) and Cryptosporidum sp. (2.3%). The apathogenic protozoa Entamoeba coli, Chilomastix mesnili, Trichomonas hominis and Iodamoeba buetschlii were also seen.