The prevalence of intestinal parasites among farming cooperatives, Gondar region, north-western Ethiopia
Zein, Z.A.; Assefa, M.
Ethiopian Medical Journal 23(4): 159-167
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0014-1755 PMID: 3876933 Document Number: 256906
In 8 newly established Agricultural Producer's Cooperatives in three altitudinal zones in Gondar region, north-western Ethiopia, 1096 stool specimens were examined for helminths and intestinal protozoa by the ether concentration technique, after initial selection of study subjects by stratified cluster sampling: 548 (50%) of the individuals who submitted faecal specimens were infected with one or more species of parasites. Overall infection rates varied between 31.4% and 64.8% in the lowland and highland zones. Rates were significantly higher among males than among females. Ten species of parasites were found, principally geohelminths, led by Ascaris; the least frequent species was Taenia saginata. The study findings are compared with previous reports from Ethiopia on intestinal parasitism. Planned public health measures to reduce morbidity caused by it are recommended.