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International Journal of Tropical Medicine

The Prevalence and Health Implications of the OVA of Human Intestinal Helminth Parasites Isolated from Faeces Collected near Students’ Hostels, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, Nigeria
I.A.A. Ejima and R.T. Ajogun

Abstract: A survey of the immediate environment of students’ hostels of Federal Polytechnic, Idah was carried out between the months of July and August, 2007. A total of one hundred human faecal samples obtained from 10 sites were examined parasitologically for ova of gastrointestinal helminth parasites. Of the 10 sites, 80% were positive for helminth parasites including Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, tapeworm, Schistosoma mansoni, Strongyloides stercoralis, Trichuris trichiura, Fasciola species and Enterobius vermicularis. The highest prevalence of infection (22.0%) was exhibited by A lumbricoides with Geometric Mean Intensity (GMI) of infection of 7.75 eggs per gram of faeces (epg) while the least prevalence (3.0%) was recorded for T. trichiura with intensity of 3.02 epg. The prevalence of helminth ova differ significantly (p<0.05) with the trend as A. lumbricoides>Hookworm>Tapewortm>S. stercoralis>E. vermicularis>Fasciola species>S. mansoni>T. trichiura. An overall prevalence of single infection of 26.0% was recorded while mixed infection of 54.0% was recorded. The proportion of mixed infections recorded for A. lumbricoides and hookworm; S. stercoralis and Tapeworm; A .lumbricoides and Fasciola species; Tapeworm and A. lumbricoidesetc. were 5.0, 5.0, 4.0 and 3.0% respectively. A combination of three parasites per subject was also recorded in various proportions. The study showed relatively high prevalence and intensity as well as diversity of helminth parasites among the students and/or staff (community) of Federal Polytechnic, Idah and these have serious implications for control. The control strategies and intervention have been discussed in this study.

How to cite this article
I.A.A. Ejima and R.T. Ajogun, 2011. The Prevalence and Health Implications of the OVA of Human Intestinal Helminth Parasites Isolated from Faeces Collected near Students’ Hostels, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, Nigeria. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 6: 15-18.

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