Provision of water,
sanitation and hygiene (WASH) resources has been advocated as necessary add-on
strategy for sustainable control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH)
alongside annual mass drug administration (MDA) of albendazole to endemic
communities. This study investigated the burden of STH and status of WASH
resources in eight rural communities in Aiyedaade LGA, Osun State, Nigeria.
Four of the communities were supported with improved water and hygiene
resources (Category A), and another four supported only with improved water
resources (Category B). Two hundred and sixteen (216) fresh stool samples were collected
from consenting community members and screened for Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura infections using ether concentration method. The
status and condition of WASH resources were determined using questionnaire and
physical observation. An overall prevalence of 35.2% was observed for any STH
infection. Species’ prevalence of Ascaris
lumbricoides,Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura prevalence was
33.8%, 22.7%, and 0.5% respectively. Intensity of STH infection was
significantly higher in Category A communities than in Category B communities.
The prevalence of STH in Category A communities was higher (42.0%) than that in
Category B communities (30.1%). There were significant differences (p = 0.000) in STH infections between the
two categories. The status of improved water supply was not significantly
different (p = 0.3153) in the two
categories. Knowledge, attitude, and practices about STH, its transmission and
control were low in both categories of communities. These results imply that
current implementation of WASH which tends to focus on resource distribution,
equity, and coverage, is unlikely to impact on STH transmission and control.
Therefore, it is necessary for WASH providers to consider STH transmission
control in their planning and implementation of WASH intervention for STH
endemic communities.
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