Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania

Background. Neglected tropical diseases continue to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Psychiatric patients are among groups at risk for parasitic infection although control and monitoring programs largely overlook this population. This study aimed at de...

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Main Authors: Azan A. Nyundo, David Z. Munisi, Ainory P. Gesase
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:Journal of Parasitology Research
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/5651717
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author Azan A. Nyundo
David Z. Munisi
Ainory P. Gesase
author_facet Azan A. Nyundo
David Z. Munisi
Ainory P. Gesase
author_sort Azan A. Nyundo
collection DOAJ
description Background. Neglected tropical diseases continue to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Psychiatric patients are among groups at risk for parasitic infection although control and monitoring programs largely overlook this population. This study aimed at determining prevalence and factors associated with intestinal parasitic infection among patients admitted to a psychiatric facility. Method. The study followed cross-sectional design; all the residing patients that met the inclusion criteria were included in the survey. Stool samples were collected and examined by direct wet preparation and formol-ether concentration. Data were analyzed with STATA version 12.1; Chi-square test was computed to determine the level of significance at p value < 0.05. Results. Of all 233 patients who returned the stool samples, 29 (12.45%) screened were positive for an intestinal parasite. There was no significant association between parasite carriage and age, sex, or duration of hospital stay. Conclusion. The study shows that intestinal parasitic infection is common among patients in a psychiatric facility and highlights that parasitic infections that enter through skin penetration may be a more common mode of transmission than the oral route. Furthermore, the study underscores the need for surveillance and intervention programs to control and manage these infections.
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spelling doaj-art-efddb4c1f8ac4fc3a7af60bd1e90712a2025-08-20T02:22:04ZengWileyJournal of Parasitology Research2090-00232090-00312017-01-01201710.1155/2017/56517175651717Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, TanzaniaAzan A. Nyundo0David Z. Munisi1Ainory P. Gesase2Department of Internal Medicine and Child Health, Psychiatry Division, School of Medicine, College of Health Science, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma, TanzaniaDepartment of Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma, TanzaniaDepartment of Anatomy and Histology, College of Health Science, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma, TanzaniaBackground. Neglected tropical diseases continue to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Psychiatric patients are among groups at risk for parasitic infection although control and monitoring programs largely overlook this population. This study aimed at determining prevalence and factors associated with intestinal parasitic infection among patients admitted to a psychiatric facility. Method. The study followed cross-sectional design; all the residing patients that met the inclusion criteria were included in the survey. Stool samples were collected and examined by direct wet preparation and formol-ether concentration. Data were analyzed with STATA version 12.1; Chi-square test was computed to determine the level of significance at p value < 0.05. Results. Of all 233 patients who returned the stool samples, 29 (12.45%) screened were positive for an intestinal parasite. There was no significant association between parasite carriage and age, sex, or duration of hospital stay. Conclusion. The study shows that intestinal parasitic infection is common among patients in a psychiatric facility and highlights that parasitic infections that enter through skin penetration may be a more common mode of transmission than the oral route. Furthermore, the study underscores the need for surveillance and intervention programs to control and manage these infections.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/5651717
spellingShingle Azan A. Nyundo
David Z. Munisi
Ainory P. Gesase
Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania
Journal of Parasitology Research
title Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania
title_full Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania
title_fullStr Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania
title_short Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania
title_sort prevalence and correlates of intestinal parasites among patients admitted to mirembe national mental health hospital dodoma tanzania
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/5651717
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AT ainorypgesase prevalenceandcorrelatesofintestinalparasitesamongpatientsadmittedtomirembenationalmentalhealthhospitaldodomatanzania