Abstract:
Background: Soil-transmitted helminth infections are common throughout the tropics and subtropics and they disproportionately affect the poor mostly school age children. MDA provider’s anthelminiths to school children periodically to control STH. There is lack of program to determine prevalence and intensity following MDA treatment in our study area. In this study, we focused on determining prevalence and intensity at Igombe primary school.

Methodology: A cross sectional study designed to determine prevalence and intensity of STH among Igombe primary school children. 270 pupils who received MDA drugs (14 months prior to study) brought stool sample which then processed within 24 hours at CUHAS Laboratory using Kato-Katz technique. Two slides were produced for each stool sample and to ensure quality control two microscopic readers involved.

Results: A total of 125 (56.30%) females and 118 (43.70%) were screened for STH. Out of 270 pupils screened, 55 (20.37%) were positive with at least one STH. All of the positive results were of light intensity. Highest prevalence was shown in Trichuris trichiura (17.41%) followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (2.6%) and Hookworms (0.37%).

Conclusion: The prevalence of STH infections in our study area was 20.37% with highest prevalence shown by Trichuris (17.41%) followed by Ascaris (2.60%) and Hookworm (0.37%). All positive results were of light intensity. Comparing to other studies and considering the time space since last MDA to the time of this study, the prevalence is low.