Parasitic Infections and Malnutrition in Rural Pre-School Children in a Northern Nile Delta Area, Egypt | ||||
| Journal of High Institute of Public Health | ||||
| Article 2, Volume 33, Issue 2, April 2003, Page 221-238 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jhiph.2003.195832 | ||||
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| Author | ||||
| Abdel-Ghany M. El-Masry | ||||
| Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This cross-sectional study was implemented in a rural area in the northern part of Nile Delta, Egypt, to assess parasitic infections and malnutrition in pre-school children. A complete data set was analysed for 150 pre-school children, with age ranging from 2 to 7 years. Parasitic infection was studied by examination of the stool samples by a modified Kato technique and the formol-ether concentration technique. The nutritional status was assessed by blood haemoglobin estimation and by anthropometric measurements. The data obtained revealed a total prevalence of parasitic infections of 56.7%. Single infections were found in 40% and multiple infections in 16.7% of cases. Giardia lamblia was the most common parasite detected [38.0%] followed by Entamoeba histolytica [13.3%]. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most common helminth detected [6.7%]. Of importance 6 cases of Schistosoma mansoni [4%] and 4 cases of Fasciola sp [2.6%] were found. Moreover, abdominal ultrasonography revealed 50% mild splenomegaly in such infections and in 25% in their controls. Anaemia was diagnosed in 46.7% of cases, of which 34.0% were mild and 12.7% were moderate and no cases of severe anaemia were found. The z-score of the anthropometric data showed rates of 18.7%, 11.3% and 3.3% of stunting, underweight and wasting respectively. There was no significant correlation between haemoglobin level and the number of parasites [Pearson correlation = 0.103, p > 0.05]. Likewise, the infected and non- infected children did not differ significantly regarding the percentage of anaemia among them [P> 0.05, odds ratio = 0.828]. The lowest haemoglobin mean value was found in cases infected with A.lumbricoides [11.32± 1.98] and the highest was found in cases of Trichuris trichiura infection [12.37 ± 1.04], the parasite with the highest intensity of infection [2385 epg]. Also, there was no significant relationship between either parasitic infections or haemoglobin level and malnutrition parameters [P> 0.05]. It seems that, these young toddlers suffered both parasitic infections and malnutrition whether protein energy malnutrition [PEM] or micronutrient malnutrition [anaemia]. Both conditions may be related to socio-economic or environmental factors and need more understanding to combat the correct insults in this community. Moreover, serious infections such as Schistosoma and Fasciola do occur in this young age and should be considered at an early age in rural areas, otherwise, their complications, especially of Schistosoma mansoni will be discovered at later stages. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Parasitic Infections; Malnutrition; Rural Pre-School Children; Northern Nile Delta Area; Egypt | ||||
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Statistics Article View: 62 |
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