Abstract

This study was undertaken to ascertain the prevalence and risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis in Idumuje-Unor, a rural community in Delta State. Sedimentation technique and formalin Ethyl Acetate Concentration were carried out for the determination of helminthiasis eggs in the stool samples. The study showed that out of the 231 individual samples collected and examined, 149(64.5%) were positive for at least one parasitic infection. The result showed that Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent accounting for 60.4% while Trichuris trichuira accounted for 39.6%. A. lumbricoides was the most prevalent with 67(45.0%) cases in female and 23(15.4%) cases in male. This was followed by T. trichuira which recorded prevalence of 18(12.1%) in male and 41(27.5%) in female. A. lumbricoides was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the study area and mostly in female compared to male. T. trichuira was also significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the study area as and mostly in female compared to male. Multiple infections were recorded for both male and females for A. lumbricoides and T. trichuira, respectively. The study showed that children within age 1 – 15 were more infected with helminth parasites followed by age 26 – 35 and 16 – 25, respectively. Females accounted for higher prevalence across the different age groups. Risk Factors related to these parasitic infections in the study area showed that individuals whose water source is the hand dug well have a higher prevalence 95(63.8%) than those who use water from Borehole 54 (36.2%). Similarly, individuals who use dug pit as their refuse dumping site had a higher prevalence 4(80.0%) than those who dump their refuse openly 1(20.0%). These data documented the baseline information on prevalence of intestinal helminthic in the study area.