%0 Journal Article
%T Intestinal parasitic infections and malnutrition amongst first-cycle primary schoolchildren in Adama, Ethiopia
%A Getachew Belay
%A Pawlos Reji
%A Berhanu Erko
%A Mengistu Legesse
%J African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
%D 2011
%I 
%R 10.4102/phcfm.v3i1.198
%X Background: A survey of intestinal parasitic infections and malnutrition in different regions or localities is a very important step in developing appropriate prevention and control strategies. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the magnitude of intestinal parasitic infections and malnutrition amongst first-cycle primary schoolchildren in Adama town,Ethiopia. Method: A total of 358 children from four primary schools in Adama town were included for stool examination, weight for age, height for age, weight for height and socio-economic status of the family. Results: The result of stool examinations showed that 127 (35.5%) of the study subjects were infected by one or more parasite. The most frequent parasites were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (12.6%) and Hymenolopis nana (8.9%). The rate of intestinal parasitic infection was not significantly associated with sex, age or socio-economic factors and nutrition (P > 0.05). The overall prevalence of malnutrition was 21.2%. Those children whose families had a monthly income of less than 200 ETB (Ethiopian birr) were highly affected by malnutrition (P < 0.05),but family education was not identified as a factor for malnutrition amongst schoolchildren. Conclusion: The prevalence of E. histolytica/dispar and H. nana could be of public health importance and calls for appropriate control strategies, and the high prevalence of malnutrition amongst children from poor families requires intervention. R¨¦sum¨¦ Contexte: Une ¨¦tude sur les infections parasitaires intestinales et la malnutrition dans une r¨¦gions ou localit¨¦ est une ¨¦tape tr¨¨s importante pour l'¨¦laboration des strat¨¦gies de pr¨¦vention et de contr le appropri¨¦es. Objectifs: L'objectif de cette ¨¦tude ¨¦tait d'¨¦tudier l'ampleur des infections parasitaires intestinales et la malnutrition parmi les enfants du premier cycle de l¡¯¨¦cole primaire dans la ville d'Adama, en ¨¦thiopie. M¨¦thode: En total, 358 enfants dans 4 ¨¦coles primaires de la ville d'Adama sont inclus dans l¡¯ ¨¦tude. Des informations relatives au taille pour l'age, poids pour la taille et statut socio-¨¦conomique de la famille ¨¦tait recueillies. Aussi, un examen des selles ¨¦tait pratiqu¨¦. R¨¦sultats: Le r¨¦sultat des examens de selles a montr¨¦ que 127 (35,5%) enfants ¨¦tait infect¨¦s par un ou plusieurs parasites. Les parasites les plus fr¨¦quents ¨¦taient Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (12,6%) et Hymenolopis nana (8,9%). Le taux d'infection parasitaire intestinale n'¨¦tait pas associ¨¦e au sexe, ¨¤ l¡¯ age , aux facteurs socio-¨¦conomiques ou le statut nutritionnel (P> 0,05). La pr¨¦valence globale
%K malnutrition
%K intestinal parasites
%K infection
%K stool examination
%K schoolchildren
%U http://www.phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/198