Prevalence Of Ascariasis Among Children Aged 5-11 Years In Government Primary School

Prevalence Of Ascariasis Among Children Aged 5-11 Years In Government Primary School

Abstract

Ascariasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by Ascaris Lumbricoides, a large roundworm. Ascariasis is one of the most commonest helminth human infection especially in children. A person becomes infected after accidentally swallowing the eggs. The egg hatch into larvae within the person’s intestine. In the study conducted among children aged 5-11 years at Government primary School Afaha Obong, Abak local Government Area, a total number of fifty (50) stool samples were collected from the children and examined for Ascariasis. A total number of three (3) positive cases was recorded and forty-seven (47) negative showing a percentage prevalence of 6% with the highest prevalence recorded within the age range of 3-5 years

Chapter One

Introduction

Ascariasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by ascarisiumbricoides, a large roundworm. The eggs of the worm are found in soil contaminated by human faeces or in uncooked food contaminated by soil containing eggs of the worm. A person becomes infected after accidentally swallowing the eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae within the person’s intestine.

The larvae penetrate the intestine wall and reach the lungs through the blood stream. They eventually get back to the thriat and are swallowed. In the intestine, the larvae develop into adult worms. The female adult worm which can grow to over 30cm in length, lays eggs that are then passed into the faeces. If soil is polluted with human or animal faeces containing eggs the cycle begins again. Eggs develop in the soil and become infective after 2-3 weeks, but can remain infective for several months or years.

Children are mostly infected than adults. The infection is likely to be more serious if nutrition is poor. They oftenbecome infected after putting their hands to their months after playing in contaminated soil or eating uncooked food grown in contaminated soil or irrigated with inadequately treated waste. Water is another frequent avanue of infection (WHO, 2001).

Ascarislumbricodes adults are found in the intestine they are large stout nematodes, tapering at both end. The female are slightly larger than the male. When freshly passed in stool, the adult worn is light cream or pinkish in colour and gradually fades on standing (Rattan and Rajesh, 2012).

The gravid round worm contains as many as 27 million ova and the overage out-put of eggs by one worm may be up to 200,000. The eggs are yellowish-brown, oval or round in shape. Man acquireAscarislumbricoides infection by ingestion of embryonated egg through contaminated hands, food, drinks and vegetable (Cochi and Kolhather, 2009).

Ascarislumbricoides infection as been associated with cough,vomiting, fever, shortness of breath, stomach or abdominal pain, weight loss, fatigue, intestinal blockage, growth retardation in children and physical and mental health problems (WHO, 2007).

Background of the Study

Ascariasis is a parasitic infection caused by large round worm called Ascarislumbricoides. Children are more prone to this as infection is usually through eating unwashed fruit or vegetables that are grown in contaminated soil, putting of hands in the mouth after playing in soil contaminated with faeces containing the roundworm eggs. This infection is also most common in areas with poor sanitation and areas whereby faeces are used as fertilizer thereby making this research work; prevalence of ascariasis among children aged 5- 11 years in government primary school AfahaObong,Abak Local Government Area  necessary and relevant as AfahaObong(Abak) locality and the children in the school are associated with these factors.

Aims and Objectives

The aims and objective of the study is to:

• Determine the prevalence of ascariasis among children aged 5-11 years in Government Primary School AfahaObong,AbakLocal Government Area.
• Highlight the different ways through which children can be infected with ascariasis.
• Know how ascariasis in children can be diagnosed.
• Know the clinical features, shape and life cycle of Ascarislumbricoides as a causative agent of ascariasis.

Scope of the Study

The research work: Prevalence of Ascariasis among Children aged 5-11 years in Government Primary School AfahaObong,Abakis Limited to children between the age of 5 and 11 years in Government Primary School AfahaObong,AbakLocal Government Area. The research work covers a period of three (3) months (October- December, 2019) with a total of 100 samples examined