Prevalence of hookworm infection and hemoglobin status among rural elementary school children in Southern Ethiopia
Lopiso Erosie; Yared Merid; Ayele Ashiko; Mohammed Ayine; Ashenafi Balihu; Sultan Muzeyin; Shiferaw Teklemariam; Solomon Sorsa
Ethiopian Journal of Health Development 16(1): 113-115
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 1021-6790 Document Number: 243947
A cross sectional survey was conducted to assess the prevalence rate of intestinal parasites among apparently healthy 421 elementary school children. The prevalence of intestinal parasites among the studied children was 69.4%. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent aetiologic agent (40%) followed by hookworm (26.8%) and Trichuris trichiura (14.7%). Of the 292 positive children, 1.4% had quadruple infection, 9.3% triple infection, 30.0% double infection and 59.3% single infection. The overall prevalence of hookworm infection was 26.8% (113 of 421). More than 75% (85 of 113) of the hookworm infected students are males. The association of hookworm infection with the absence of shoes and with the absence of latrine showed statistically significant association among the students studied. Low level of haemoglobin was not significantly associated with hookworm infection. The overall prevalence of anaemic condition was 20.6% (87 of 421).