bjective:
T
o determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes and associated risk factors
among schoolchildren in
T
ilili town, northwest
E
thiopia.
Methods:
A
cross-sectional study
involving
385
schoolchildren was conducted between
N
ovember
2011
to
F
ebruary
2012
.
E
ach
student was selected using systematic random sampling method.
Q
uestionnaire and observation
were used to identify socio-demographic and assoc
iated risk factors.
F
resh stool samples were
observed using formal-ether concentration technique.
D
ata were analyzed using
SPSS
16
.
0
statistical software.
Results:
F
our species of intestinal helminthes were identified with an
overall prevalence of
44
.
2
%
(
170
of
385
schoolchildren
)
.
T
he predominant parasites were
Ascaris
lumbricoides
(
A. lumbricoides
)
153
(
39
.
7
%)
and
Trichuris trichiura
(
T. trichiura
)
30
(
7
.
8
%)
.
O
ne
hundred thirty five
(
35
.
1
%)
had single infections and
35
(
9
.
2
%)
were infected with more than one
helminthic parasites in which
32
(
8
.
4
%)
were double infections and
3
(
0
.
8
%)
were triple infections.
S
ignificant associations were observed between intestinal helminth infection and those of age,
grade level, and school variables.
P
revalence of hookworm infection was significant in children
who did not wear shoes regularly
(
P
<
0
.
05
)
.
Conclusions:
intervention programs and education
on personal and environmental hygiene should be implemented for the prevention and control of
helminthic infections in the study are