PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL PARASITES IN SCHOOL AGED PUPILS IN MAFA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

Biu, A.A., kyari, F. and John, W.M.

Department of Microbiology and Parasitology

University of Maiduguri, Nigeria

E-mail:biuvet@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

A coprological study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites among school aged pupils attending Osas Private Nursery and Primary School and Kaleri Primary School in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State. A total of One Hundred and Twenty (120) stool samples were examined using the formol ether concentration technique revealing a prevalence of 72 (60.0%) represented as helminth ova 33 (45.8%) comprising of hookworms 20(27.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides 4(5.6%), Taenia spp. 4(5.6%), Hymenolepis nana 4(5.6%), Trichuris trichura 1(1.4%) and protozoon cysts 39(54.2%) of Entamoeba coli 21(29.2%), E. histolytica 14(19.4%) and Giardia lamblia 4(5.6%). The prevalence of infection was noted to be higher in public schools 50(86.2%) compared with the private school 22(35.5%) (p<0.05), while more male pupils were infected 42(62.7%) compared with female pupils 30(56.6%) (p<0.05). Also among age groups examined, a higher prevalence was observed in children between 10 and 11 years with 21(87.5%) than the others (p<0.05).