Intestinal parasitic infections in children living in selected barangays with urban slums along Iloilo River

Abstract

This cross-sectional study was performed to determine the intestinal parasitic infection in children age 0-13 years old in three selected barangays with urban slums located alongside Iloilo River. A total of 127 stool samples from 65 males and 62 females were examined by utilizing formalin-ether concentration technique (FECT) and direct wet mount thereafter using Lugol's solution. It was found out that 59.8% of the children examined were positive for one or more intestinal parasites. The most frequent soil-transmitted helminth observed was <i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i> (48.0%) followed by <i>Trichuris trichiura</i> (34.6%). Pathogenic protozoans determined were <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i> (9.4%) and <i>Giardia lamblia</i> (0.8%). Other nonpathogenic species identified were <i>Entamoeba coli</i> (15.7%), <i>Blastocystis hominis</i> (3.1%) and <i>lodamoeba butschlii</i> (0.8%). Parasitic infection with single species had the highest frequency of 31.5% compared to multiple infection (28.3%). The relatively high prevalence of these infections among children living three selected barangays with urban slums alongside Iloilo River was found to be independent of factors the respondents’ sex (p=0.106), age group (p=1.691), and consistency of stool sample (p=1.835). Moreover, the degree of infection in terms of sex (p=3.174), age (p=9.136), and consistency of stool samples (p=2.798) were not statistically different from each other. The high prevalence rate of pathogenic intestinal parasitic infection may have also been influenced by factors other than the ones considered, such as environmental and socio-demographic factors. The study highly suggests mass treatment and preventive measures such as health education of the community