Polyparasitism and Anaemia Among Women of Reproductive Age in Kilifi County-Kenya

Polyparasitism is commonly associated with Plasmodium species, Schistosoma species and soil-transmitted helminths. Anaemia results from a variety of causes, including parasitic infections. Women of reproductive age (WRA) and children below the age of five are disproportionately affected by polyparasitic infections, putting them at risk of anaemia. The current study was conducted to evaluate the association of polyparasitic infections with anaemia among WRA in Kilifi.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 478 WRA in Rabai and Magarini subcounties in Kilifi County. Blood samples were collected and analysed for Plasmodium falciparum, determination of haemoglobin (HB), and classification of anaemia, while urine and stool samples were tested for Schistosoma haematobium and soil-transmitted helminths, respectively. Data were analysed using R software, and the overall magnitude of parasitic coinfections, anaemia and their associated factors was determined by chi-square and t-test. The differences were considered statistically significant if p-value was ≤ 0.05. The means of HB were determined to evaluate the synergistic effect of different single parasites in polyparasitism on HB at a 95% confidence interval.

The overall prevalence of parasitic infections was 26.9%. Polyparasitism had a prevalence of 1.8% due to concurrent infection of P. falciparum and S. haematobium, S. haematobium and hookworm, S. haematobium, hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoides, whose prevalence was 0.8% (p < 0.001). 0.8% (p < 0.001) and 0.2% (p < 0.001) respectively. The prevalence of anaemia was 16.5%, while the prevalence of normocytic and microcytic anaemia was 63% and 37%, respectively. There was no synergy between different parasites in polyparasitism and HB.

The study findings indicated that the prevalence of polyparasitism was low. Polyparasitic infections involving S. haematobium and P. falciparum were most common in the region. Anaemia was common among P. falciparum and Trichuris trichiura-infected participants, while normocytic and microcytic anaemia were common in both infected and noninfected women.