Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis in Relation with Anaemia among Individuals Living in Igbo-Ora, Oyo State

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa is endemic with soil transmitted helminthes and they have detrimental effects on humans. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Soil Transmitted helmithiasis, its risk factors and its effect on Haemoglobin concentration among individuals at Igbo-Ora, Oyo State. A cross-sectional study involving 274 individuals at Igbo-Ora was conducted from March to August 2013. Intestinal helminthic infections were diagnosed using Kato-Katz technique and anaemia was determined by measuring the Packed Cell Volume (PCV) using the haematocrit centrifuge and reader. Among the participants, 28.8% were infected with intestinal helminthes and the overall prevalence of anemia was 12.8% ranging from individuals with no infection to individuals with single and multiple infections. Species-wise, prevalence of single STH infections was 23%, 17.2%, 2.6% and 0.4% for hookworms, Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides stercoralis and Trichuris trichiura respectively while double helminthic infections were A. lumbricoides+hookworm 10.6% and hookworm+Strongyloides 1.5%. Level of education, hand washing after using the toilet, age and shoe wearing habit were significantly associated with risk of getting STH infections. A. lumbricoides, hookworm and triple multiple infections were associated with an increased risk of anaemia (OR= 0.999, 95% CI 0.39, 2.561), (OR= 0.817, 95% CI 0.339, 1.971) and (OR= 9.145, 95% CI 4.578, 18.269), respectively, but they were not statistically significant.