Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest Ethiopia
Introduction: Intestinal parasites have an insidious impact on human health. In response to high parasite frequencies in Northwest Ethiopia, mass drug administration (MDA) is provided for school children using albendazole/mebendazole (since 2007) and praziquantel (since 2015). The study objective w...
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The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
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| Online Access: | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11729 |
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| author | Ayenew Addisu Ayalew Jejaw Zeleke Abebe Genetu Bayih Hannock Tweya Collins Timire Werku Techilo Edward Mberu Kamau Florian Vogt Kristien Verdonck |
| author_facet | Ayenew Addisu Ayalew Jejaw Zeleke Abebe Genetu Bayih Hannock Tweya Collins Timire Werku Techilo Edward Mberu Kamau Florian Vogt Kristien Verdonck |
| author_sort | Ayenew Addisu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction: Intestinal parasites have an insidious impact on human health. In response to high parasite frequencies in Northwest Ethiopia, mass drug administration (MDA) is provided for school children using albendazole/mebendazole (since 2007) and praziquantel (since 2015). The study objective was to assess trends and seasonal patterns of intestinal parasite infections in a context of MDA.
Methodology: This was a descriptive study collecting routine data from laboratory registers in two health centres in Denbia district, Amhara region. Stool test results (wet-mount direct microscopy) from patients attending these centres between 2013 and 2018 were included. Frequencies of different parasite species were evaluated within and across the years and stratified by age and gender.
Results: From a total of 8002 stool test results, the overall parasite frequency was 53.3%; this proportion remained constant. The most frequently diagnosed soil-transmitted helminths (STH) were Ascaris lumbricoides (16.9%) and hookworm (3.9%). STH frequency varied over the years, but was similar at the beginning (20.0%) and the end (22.0%) of the six-year period. STH infections were more frequent in winter (December-February; 20.4%) than in other seasons (16.0%). The most frequently diagnosed protozoa were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (18.5%) and Giardia lamblia (12.2%). The frequency of Giardia steadily increased from 9.6% in 2013 to 15.3% in 2018. E. histolytica/dispar peaked in summer and G. lamblia in autumn.
Conclusions: Trends in routine laboratories may be a proxy for a status quo in the community. These findings suggest that higher MDA coverages and/or interventions beyond MDA are needed to reduce intestinal parasite-related morbidity.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-294e9b4fe2b649cd88b593610cdd6931 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1972-2680 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
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| series | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| spelling | doaj-art-294e9b4fe2b649cd88b593610cdd69312025-08-20T02:27:23ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802020-06-011406.110.3855/jidc.11729Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest EthiopiaAyenew Addisu0Ayalew Jejaw Zeleke1Abebe Genetu Bayih2Hannock Tweya3Collins Timire4Werku Techilo5Edward Mberu Kamau6Florian Vogt7 Kristien Verdonck8Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaDepartment of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaDepartment of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaInternational Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, FranceInternational Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, FranceWest Denbia District Health office, West Denbia, EthiopiaSpecial Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, BelgiumDepartment of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium Introduction: Intestinal parasites have an insidious impact on human health. In response to high parasite frequencies in Northwest Ethiopia, mass drug administration (MDA) is provided for school children using albendazole/mebendazole (since 2007) and praziquantel (since 2015). The study objective was to assess trends and seasonal patterns of intestinal parasite infections in a context of MDA. Methodology: This was a descriptive study collecting routine data from laboratory registers in two health centres in Denbia district, Amhara region. Stool test results (wet-mount direct microscopy) from patients attending these centres between 2013 and 2018 were included. Frequencies of different parasite species were evaluated within and across the years and stratified by age and gender. Results: From a total of 8002 stool test results, the overall parasite frequency was 53.3%; this proportion remained constant. The most frequently diagnosed soil-transmitted helminths (STH) were Ascaris lumbricoides (16.9%) and hookworm (3.9%). STH frequency varied over the years, but was similar at the beginning (20.0%) and the end (22.0%) of the six-year period. STH infections were more frequent in winter (December-February; 20.4%) than in other seasons (16.0%). The most frequently diagnosed protozoa were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (18.5%) and Giardia lamblia (12.2%). The frequency of Giardia steadily increased from 9.6% in 2013 to 15.3% in 2018. E. histolytica/dispar peaked in summer and G. lamblia in autumn. Conclusions: Trends in routine laboratories may be a proxy for a status quo in the community. These findings suggest that higher MDA coverages and/or interventions beyond MDA are needed to reduce intestinal parasite-related morbidity. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11729Ethiopiasoil-transmitted helminthsintestinal protozoaroutine laboratoryretrospective |
| spellingShingle | Ayenew Addisu Ayalew Jejaw Zeleke Abebe Genetu Bayih Hannock Tweya Collins Timire Werku Techilo Edward Mberu Kamau Florian Vogt Kristien Verdonck Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest Ethiopia Journal of Infection in Developing Countries Ethiopia soil-transmitted helminths intestinal protozoa routine laboratory retrospective |
| title | Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_full | Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_short | Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_sort | trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in northwest ethiopia |
| topic | Ethiopia soil-transmitted helminths intestinal protozoa routine laboratory retrospective |
| url | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11729 |
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