Influence of soil transmission helminths infections on the nutritional status of school children in Akinyele local government area, Ibadan.

Soil transmitted helminths (STH) infections; Anaemia and malnutrition are major public health problem in school age children in developing countries of the world. This study was conducted on 125 school children of Ebenezer primary school and Community high school, Shasha in Akinyele local government area of Oyo state. This study was carried out to assess the current prevalence as well as the nutritional impacts of STH infections among these school children.

A school based cross sectional study was carried out. Blood samples were collected from school children of Ebenezer primary school, Akingbile to determine their haemoglobin level. Anthropometric data such as height, weight and arm circumference were measured while the BMI was calculated for each of these school children. Socio-economic data were also collected and the children were screened for STH.

The baseline findings revealed that all the schoolchildren whose blood were screened for haemoglobin level were anaemic, while the prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting among the children were 47.2%, 49.6% and 53.6% respectively. The overall prevalence of STH infections in the study area is 61.6%. The study also revealed that the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, Trichiuris trichiura and Strongyloides stercoralis are 53.6%, 43.2%, 8% and 18.4% respectively. Males (62.32%)are more infected with all these STH infections than the females (60.71%) while schoolchildren between the ages of 14-15years had the highest rate of infection for hookworm and Strongyloides stercoralis. The result also shows that School children between the ages of 12-13years had the highest rate of infection for Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichiuris trichiura.

STH infections, anaemia and malnutrition are still prevalent and have assumed the status of public health significance in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo  state. Sustainable deworming programme at school and community levels among these school aged children will help to improve their health and nutritional status.

Keywords: Soil transmitted helminths, Anaemia, Malnutrition, Anthropometric, Prevalence, Schoolchildren