| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2008 | Volume
: 11
| Issue : 3 | Page : 220-224 |
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Worm infestation and anaemia among pre-school children of peasant farmers in Calabar, Nigeria
MU Anah, OE Ikpeme, IS Etuk, KE Yong, I Ibanga, BE Asuquo
Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
M U Anah
Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
PMID: 19140358 
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BACKGROUND: Worm infection and anaemia are common childhood conditions in Nigeria. We assessed the status of helminthiasis and associated anaemia among pre school children of peasant farmers aged 1-5 years living in a rubber plantation near Calabar, Nigeria. DESIGN: Cross sectional. METHOD: Three hundred and fifty children were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling technique. Freshly passed stool was examined using Kato-Katz method while anaemia was estimated using haematocrit technique. RESULT: Of the 350 children, 174 (49.7%) had intestinal helminths: Ascaris lumbricoides 64.4%, hookworms 10.9% and Trichuris trichuria 1.1%. There were 41(23.6%) children with polyparasitism, 33 of them were due to Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworms. The worm load was generally light in intensity with egg per gram of stool ranging from 24-60,960. Males (28.9%) were infected more than females (20.8%). The frequency of infection increases with age. The prevalence of anaemia among the entire study population and in those infected with worms was 56.6% and 56.9% respectively. With polyparasitism there was a relative increase in the frequency of anaemia females > males. CONCLUSION: Worm infections and anaemia are common in our children. A comprehensive control strategy involving good sanitation, sinking of bore hole for clean water supply and regular deworming exercises are recommended. |
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