PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTIONS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS OF CHILDREN IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN KELELA TOWN, SOUTH WOLLO, AMHARA REGIONAL S

Intestinal parasitic infections are one of the major public health problems in many developing countries including Ethiopia. Sub-Saharan Africa is the most heavily burdened region by intestinal parasites. The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) and their associations with anthropometric measurements of children in selected primary schoolchildren in Kelela town, South Wollo, Ethiopia. The design of the study was a cross-sectional epidemiological investigation involving a sample population of 384 school children from grade one to grade eight in two purposively selected primary schools located in Kelela town conducted from February to March, 2021. Socio demographic data from the study participants were gathered using structured questionnaire. A total of 384 fresh stool samples of school-children were examined using subjected to direct wet-mount technique and Formula-Ether concentration method and examined under microscope. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections based on the presence of any intestinal parasite species was 74.4% (76.5% in males and 72.9% in females). Multiple infections with two and above parasites species based on the presence of any intestinal parasite species were found 9.4% (36) of the positive stool samples. The prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites, Entamoebahistolytica, Giardialamblia was 24.5%, 15.9% and respectively. Similarly,the prevalence of helminth infections, A.lumbricoides, Hookworm, T. trichuria, S.mansoni, E.vermicularis, H.nana and Teania saginata. was 5.7%, 3.9%, 3.1%, 3.1%, 1.3%, 1% and 0.8%, respectively was 6.8%, 4.2%, 3.6%, 2.9%, 1%, 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was significantly associated with some of risk factors, such as family size, source of water and its handling, and availability of latrines (p=0.001, p=0.004 and p=0.005, respectively). However, the prevalence of IPIs were not statistically associated with some socio-demographic factors, such as parents’ educational level, personal hygiene, life skills, awareness to parasitic infections, residence and wearing shoe or not. A significant association was found between prevalence of IPI species based on the presence of any intestinal parasite species and underweighted students (p=0.004) those school-children who were. Underweight had a higher prevalence of IPIs(48.5%) as compared with other anthropometric indices (wasting and stunting). In general, intestinal parasitic infections represent majr public health problem of children in the study schools in kelela town. Local health officer and any other concerned bodies should collaborate with the primary schools management to design and implement appropriate prevention control measures to alleviate the negative effect of IPIs on the school children