Prevalence of intestinal parasites among school children in Gaza City, Gaza Strip
Yassin, M.M.; Shubair, M.E.; al-Hindi, A.I.; Jadallah, S.Y.
Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology 29(2): 365-373
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 1110-0583 PMID: 10605490 Document Number: 499571
A total of 489 stool specimens was collected from Egyptian school children aged 6-11 years from a low socioeconomic background and living in an overcrowded district with poor sewage disposal. A questionnaire was also used. Each faecal specimen was processed by direct smear microscopy, zinc sulfate flotation and formol-ether sedimentation. There was an overall parasite prevalence of 27.6%. Six parasites were detected, of which Giardia lamblia [G. duodenalis] was the most frequent (62.2%) followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (20.1%) and Entamoeba histolytica (13.3%). Enterobius vermicularis, Trichuris trichiura and Hymenolepis nana were present in low frequencies. The prevalence of these parasites was related to age and socioeconomic and sanitary conditions. There is an urgent need for improved living conditions, effective sewage disposal, health education and epidemiological surveys to control parasite in this district.