Prevalence, Risk Factors and Impacts of Schistosomal and Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Rural School Children in Sohag Governorate
El-Masry, H., Ahmed, Y., Hassan, A., Zaky, S., Abd-Allah, E., El-Moselhy, E., Abdel-Rahem, M. (2007). Prevalence, Risk Factors and Impacts of Schistosomal and Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Rural School Children in Sohag Governorate. EKB Journal Management System, 29(1), 616-630. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2007.17705
H. M. El-Masry; Y. A. Ahmed; A. A. Hassan; S. Zaky; E. S. Abd-Allah; E. A. El-Moselhy; M. A. Abdel-Rahem. "Prevalence, Risk Factors and Impacts of Schistosomal and Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Rural School Children in Sohag Governorate". EKB Journal Management System, 29, 1, 2007, 616-630. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2007.17705
El-Masry, H., Ahmed, Y., Hassan, A., Zaky, S., Abd-Allah, E., El-Moselhy, E., Abdel-Rahem, M. (2007). 'Prevalence, Risk Factors and Impacts of Schistosomal and Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Rural School Children in Sohag Governorate', EKB Journal Management System, 29(1), pp. 616-630. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2007.17705
El-Masry, H., Ahmed, Y., Hassan, A., Zaky, S., Abd-Allah, E., El-Moselhy, E., Abdel-Rahem, M. Prevalence, Risk Factors and Impacts of Schistosomal and Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Rural School Children in Sohag Governorate. EKB Journal Management System, 2007; 29(1): 616-630. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2007.17705

Prevalence, Risk Factors and Impacts of Schistosomal and Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Rural School Children in Sohag Governorate

The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine
Article 13, Volume 29, Issue 1, October 2007, Page 616-630  XML PDF (405.18 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/ejhm.2007.17705
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Authors
H. M. El-Masry1; Y. A. Ahmed1; A. A. Hassan1; S. Zaky1; E. S. Abd-Allah2; E. A. El-Moselhy3; M. A. Abdel-Rahem4
1Departments of Pediatrics; Tropical Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, Al-Azhar and Zagazig University
2Departments of Pediatrics Community Health Nursing Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, Al-Azhar and Zagazig University
3Departments of Pediatrics Community Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, Al-Azhar and Zagazig University
4Departments of Pediatrics,Parasitology,Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, Al-Azhar and Zagazig University
Abstract
Parasitic diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood in most parts of the world. Hygiene and play habits make children especially vulnerable to schistosomal and parasitic infections. The aim of this study is to define the prevalence of different types of parasitic infections, to define their risk factors and to determine their impacts on health and scholastic absenteeism and achievement of rural school students in Sohag Governorate, Egypt. A cross-section, analytical study design was chosen to perform this research on 960 rural school students. All the students were interviewed and examined clinically and laboratory. The study showed that 38.5% of the students were infected by parasites. Entaemoeba histolytica, Enterobius vermicularis and Giardia lamblia had the highest percentages, 20.4%, 16.6% and 15.2%, respectively. Male sex, last birth order, poor personal hygiene, low socioeconomic level, ≥3 infected siblings, previous parasitic infections and no early consultation for therapy were important risk factors (ORs=1.41, 2.32, 2.63, 2.86, 4.17, 9.80 and 10.83, respectively). Also, 29.2% and 31.6% of infected students were below the 5th percentiles as regard weight-for-age and height-for-age, respectively. Anemia was present among 52.4% of infected students. Further, 3.2% of them had hepatomegaly. Also, 37.8% and 41.1% of infected students had 0-3 and 4-6 days/month absent, respectively, while, 34.3% of infected students had a scholastic achievement <50.0%. Improving personal and environmental hygiene and regular screening, treatment and health education for students as regard parasitic infections in Egypt is recommended.
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