Prevalence of enterobiasis among primary school children in Ragama, Sri Lanka.

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of enterobiasis among school children in Ragama Medical Officer of Health (MOH) region and the association between clinical features, potential risk factors and infection status. DESIGN Cross sectional study. SETTING School based. Participants 260 school children aged 5-7 years, attending five state schools in the Ragama MOH region. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis infection as diagnosed using adhesive cellophane tapes on the perianal skin on 2 consecutive days. RESULTS The overall prevalence of enterobiasis was 38%. The risk factors significant on a univariate analysis were male gender, maternal under-education, non-permanency of paternal employment, more household members, more siblings in a family, more persons sleeping with an index child and lack of recent deworming. On a multivariate model more household members, more children in a household, more persons sleeping with the index child, non-permanency of paternal employment and lack of recent deworming were significantly associated with infection. None of the clinical manifestations evaluated (peri-anal itching, insomnia, abdominal pain, and enuresis) showed a significant association with enterobiasis. CONCLUSIONS Enterobiasis is highly prevalent among primary school children in Ragama.