Intestinal Parasites in Nepalese Schoolchildren

This paper presents the status of intestinal parasitosis in public schoolchildren (1 to 10 classes) in a rural area of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. A total of 533 schoolchildren (269 girls and 264 boys, aged 4 to 19 years) were included in this study. A questionnaire was filled out regarding hygienic and other habits, including factors predisposing to parasitic infections. Fecal samples from the children were examined by formol-ether concentration technique. The overall prevalence of parasitosis was 66.6% (395/533) with no significant difference between boys and girls (p> 0.05). TibetoBurman children had a non-significant higher prevalence, compared with Indo-Aryan and Dalit children (p>0.05). Half (53.8%; 191/355) of the children had multiple parasitic infections. Altogether, nine types of parasites were recovered. The recovery rate of helminths was higher (76.9%) than protozoa (23.1%). Trichuris trichiura was the most common helminth detected, followed by hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides and others. Entamoeba coli was the most common protozoan parasite, followed by E. histolytica, Giardia lamblia and others. al, 1983; Rai and Gurung, 1986). Polyparasitism is common in some areas (Estevez et al, 1983; Rai et al, 2001). High prevalence is attributed to poor sanitation, poverty and lack of health education, (Matsumura et al, 1998; Rai et al, 2002), and water contamination (Adhikari et al, 1986; Ono et al, 2001). In addition, emerging parasites have also been reported (Sherchand et al, 1996; Ono et al, 2001). In this paper, we report the status of intestinal parasitosis among schoolchildren in the northeastern part of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. We have chosen schoolchildren because of their great impact on intestinal parasite control in the future, as has been shown elsewhere (Yokogawa et al, 1993). MATERIALS AND METHODS Subjects and sample collection Schoolchildren studying at public schools in a village setting in the northeastern part of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal were included in this study. Out of a total of 562 students initially enrolled, with the distribution of a clean, dry, screw capped and properly labeled plastic container, 533 schoolchildren (class 1 to 10; aged 4 to 19 years; SOUTHEAST ASIAN J TROP MED PUBLIC HEALTH 502 Vol 35 No. 3 September 2004 boys: 269 and girls: 264) were included in this study. A questionnaire on age, sex, family size, ethnic group etc was filled. Informed consent was obtained from both the teachers and students. Parasitic examination Fecal samples were examined for the presence of parasites both macroscopically and microscopically. Microscopic examination was done by formol-ether concentration technique. The wet preparation prepared from the deposit was examined under the microscope for intestinal parasites.