Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Polyparasitism in Okpokwu Benue State, Nigeria
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Journal of Applied Life Sciences International 22(3): 1-7, 2019; Article no.JALSI.53136 ISSN: 2394-1103 Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Polyparasitism in Okpokwu Benue State, Nigeria J. O. Akor1, E. A. Omudu1, V. U. Obisike2*, G. N. Imandeh3 and I. A. Alaku4 1Department of Biological Science, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. 2Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria. 3Department of Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. 4Department of Basic Science, College of Agriculture, Lafia, Nasarawa, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. Authors JOA and EAO designed the study. Authors VUO and GNI performed the statistical analysis. Authors JOA, IAA and EAO wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All Authors managed the literature searches. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/JALSI/2019/v22i330131 Editor(s): (1) Prof. Ali Mohamed Elshafei Ali, Emeritus Professor, Deparrtment of Microbial Chemistry, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Building, National Research Centre, Egypt. Reviewers: (1) Mushtaq Hussain Lashari, The Islamia University of Bbahwalpur, Pakistan. (2) Khadim Diongue, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/53136 Received 15 October 2019 Original Research Article Accepted 18 December 2019 Published 24 December 2019 ABSTRACT Intestinal and urinary parasitic infections represent one of the challenges of public health in the tropics and developing countries. A study was designed to determine the prevalence and distribution of polyparasitic infections as well as the impact of health education and treatments .Stool and urine samples from 350 participants were analysed macroscopically and microscopically by direct stool examination of wet and lugol’siodine preparations and formal-ether concentration techniques and microscopic examination of simple centrifuged samples of urine. One hundred and forty two (142) participants out of the three hundred and fifty (350) examined were infected with one parasite or more with an overall prevalence of 40.6%. Entamoeba histolytica had the highest frequency of occurrence both in the female and male participants (52 and 45 respectively). Out of 350 participants, 36 (10.3%) of them had co-infection (polyparasitism), the result of polyparasitism in the Local Government was not significant (p>0.05). Age group 1- 10 had the highest prevalence of 55.6%. Farmers were mostly infected than the other occupations examined. Proper hygiene and sanitary conditions will go a long way to reduce the level of infections. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]; Akor et al.; JALSI, 22(3): 1-7, 2019; Article no.JALSI.53136 Keywords: Intestinal; urinary; polyparasitism; participants; sanitation. 1. BACKGROUND which derives its name from the River Okpokwu has its headquarter at Okpoga. The Local One of the major problems of developing Government area is located about one hundred countries and the tropics is intestinal and urinary and seventy (170 km) kilometers Southwest of parasitism. Most of the developing countries are Makurdi, the State capital. It shares land borders faced with parasitic diseases which are closely with Ohimini Local Government area on the related to poor sanitary behaviours and/ or poor North.Ogbadibo Local Government area on its personal hygiene [1]. Among the infants, Western end, Ado and Otukpo Local intestinal parasitic infections are a major public Government on the East, Isiuzo Local health problem worldwide. According to World Government of Enugu State on the South and Health Organization, approximately 3.5 billion Olamaboro Local Government area of Kogi State people are infected by intestinal parasites and on the North West. The vegetation of the Local about 450 million children are ill due to these Government is that of a transition between the infections [1,2]. Iron deficiency anaemia, growth deciduous rain forest of Eastern Nigeria on the retardation in children and other physical Southern part of the Local Government, and the problems, can be traced to intestinal parasitic grassland Savannah towards the North. The infections [3,4]. Sometimes man and animals are Local Government is surrounded by uphill infected with two or more parasites causing stretching through the Northern part, while the some severe public health concerns. This often lowland has fadamas fit for wet cultivation. This times make accurate diagnosis to be difficult. makes the Local Government home for the ‘Multiple species parasitic infections are the norm cultivation of arid tubers and grain crops found in rather than the exception,’ and therefore that the middle belt. This natural blessing makes the polyparasitism deserves much more attention [5]. adoption of the veritable occupation of farming a Schistosomiasis and intestinal parasitic infections general occupation in the area. have been described as diseases of poverty and underdevelopment because there is association 2.2 Collection and Examination of Faecal between them and lack of basic amenities and and Urine Samples poor sanitary practices [6]. These parasitic diseases deny poorest of the poor access to The participants were educated on the causes of good health, thereby making them to be less intestinal helminthic infections and other parasitic productive and contributing to economic infections. Thereafter, wide mouthed screw-cap instability and social marginalization; and the sterile sample containers were given to the poor people of under developed nations participants for the collection of their stool and experience a cycle where under nutrition and urine samples at home and structured repeated infections [7]. The school age children questionnaires were distributed among the suffer the impact much as they are mostly the participants for the collection of demographic ones infected by Drake and Bundy [8] and information such as age, sex, source of water Tchuente, et al. [9]. The study is aimed at and occupation. They were instructed to bring determining the prevalence and risk factors their early morning stool and urine samples the associated with polyparasitism in Okpokwu next day. The samples produced by participants Benue Nigeria were received at designated point. The collected samples were transported to the General hospital 2. METHODOLOGY laboratories and Primary Health Care (PHC) centres in the Local Government Area (LGA) for examination. The samples were examined by 2.1 Study Areas using direct smear, lugol’s iodine and formalin- ether concentration techniques for stool samples Okpokwu Local Government experiences a [10] and simple centrifugation technique for urine typical climate with distinct seasons, the wet and samples [11]. the dry season. The wet season lasts from April to October with annual rainfall of 150-180 mm. 2.3 Stool Examination The dry season begins in November and ends in March. Temperature fluctuates between 23ºC 2.3.1 Direct wet mount and 31ºC in the year. The Local Government has moderate relative humidity. The soil in most Saline or iodine wet mount were made by mixing areas is loamy.Okpokwu Local Government a small quantity (about 2 mg) of faeces in a drop 2 Akor et al.; JALSI, 22(3): 1-7, 2019; Article no.JALSI.53136 of saline or iodine placed on a clean glass slide 2.3.3 Urine examination with applicator stick. Gross fibres or particles were removed and the preparation was covered Simple centrifugation sedimentation method. with cover-slips. Air bubbles were avoided by drawing one edge of cover-slip slightly into the The urine samples were processed by ordinary suspension and lowering it almost to the slide centrifugation sedimentation techniques [11]. The before letting it fall. The smear was then urine samples were thoroughly mixed and 10ml examined under the microscope using x 10 of each were taken into centrifuge tubes and objective and confirming any parasite seen with x centrifuged at 2000 rpm. The supernatant were 40 objective for ova, larvae or cyst of parasite discarded and the deposits were examined with and motile parasites [10]. x10 objective and any parasites seen were confirmed with x40 objective. 2.3.2 Formalin-ether Concentration 3. RESULTS The formol-ether concentration was used for the preparation of stool for examination [10]. Using A total of three hundred and fifty (350) male and an applicator stick, about 1 gm of the stool female participants were examined from the samples were added to centrifuge tubes to which Okpokwu Local Government Area. One hundred normal saline were added. They were thoroughly and forty two (142) participants were infected emulsified and filtered through two layers of with at least one parasite giving an overall gauze into another centrifuge tubes. Three prevalence of 40.6%. Entamoeba histolytica milliliters (3 ml) of ether were added and 7 ml of occurred highest (97) followed by Entamoeba 10% formal saline were also added into the coli (29) while Ascaris lumbricoides and Taenia faecal sample suspension, and stoppered and solium had the least occurrences (2 each) as shaken vigorously to mix. The stoppers were shown in Table 1. removed and the tubes were centrifuged at 2000 rpm for 2 minutes. Infection rate was higher in female participants (42.3%) than in male participants (38.5%) as After the centrifugation, four distinct layers were shown in Table 2. formed. The layers were; ether at the top-most, second a plug of debris, third a clear layer of Table 3 shows the prevalence of polyparasitism formal saline and the fourth sediment. The plugs in Okpokwu L.G.A. Thirty six (36) Participants out of debris were detached from the side of the of 350 of them were co-infected with two or three tubes with the aid of applicator sticks and the parasites with a prevalence of 10.3%, 6 (1.7%) liquid were poured off leaving a small amount of had co-infection by three parasites and 30 formal saline for suspension of the sediment.