PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL PARASITES IN SLUM AREAS OF SOUTHERN DELHI

A retrospective study was conducted during the period of 1st July 2010 to 30th June 2011 in the department of microbiology of HAH centenary Hospital, Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. A total of 2907 Stool samples send to the microbiology department from indoor and outdoor patients with gastrointestinal symptoms with or without anemia were analyzed. The patients were mostly from low socio economic strata of Sangam Vihar. 759 samples were positive for parasitic infections. The most common intestinal parasites were found to be E. histolytica (20.22%), followed by Giardia lamblia (2.68%) and Ascaris lubricoides (1.4%). Ova of Hookworm and larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis was found 6 times each. Other common parasitic isolates were Taenia species (0.1%), H. nana (0.48%), Trichuris trichura (0.1%) and Trichomonas hominis 17 (0.58%). The study emphasizes on better drinking water and sanitation requirement for the target population.