Prevalence of Human Intestinal Helminth Parasites among Undergraduate Students at the off Campus (North Gate Area), Federal University of Technology, Akure (Futa), Nigeria

Studies have shown that soil-transmitted helminth infections are widely distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics. Poor sanitation is a major factor in the spread of intestinal helminth parasites. Hence, a study was carried out from July to September 2014, to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminth parasites among undergraduate students at North Gate, FUTA. A total of two hundred (200) stool samples were collected randomly from both males and females. Faecal samples were analyzed using the formol-ether sedimentation and concentration method. Parasites encountered by prevalence were Taenia spp. (13.5%), Ascaris lumbricoides (6.5%), Enterobius vermicularis (2%), Strongyloides stercoralis (6%), Trichuris trichiura (5%), Schistosoma mansoni (3.5%) and Hookworm species (8%). Formol-ether concentration technique was used to analyze the stool samples. The overall infection rate was 89 (44.5%). The study showed that infections were more prevalent among males. The highest prevalence of infections was recorded among the age group of 19 - 22 years (21%) in both sexes, and least infection rate in the age group of 27 - 30 years (1.0%). The highest prevalence of infection was observed with students who made use of pit latrine (22%), compared with students who made use of bush system (7.5%). Prevalence for users of water closet was 11%. On the basis of the type of toilet system, the bucket system showed the least prevalence of 4%. Prevalence of helminth parasite infection was the highest among students using pipe borne water (22%) system as source of water, compared with users of stream/pond/ river water source, which had the least prevalence (3.5%). The study showed that there was a need to encourage the practice of good personal hygiene and sanitation. The health implication of low level of hygiene and faecal pollution of the environment related to prevalence is discussed.