@article{101435,
  keywords = {Soiltransmitted helminthiasis, Intestinal Schistosomiasis, Community based, Prevalence, Apojola, Nigeria},
  author = {Adenusi AA and Sheba KF and Ugwueze KT and Akinsola OJ and Adegbite RB and Nwanya VA and Ekara FE and Kajero AO and Badmus NI},
  title = {Community-based prevalence, intensity and risk factors associated with soil-transmitted helminthiases and intestinal schistosomiasis in Apojola, Ogun state, southwest Nigeria},
  abstract = {<p><strong>Background:</strong> Soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) and schistosomiasis are parasitic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) of significant public health importance globally, including Nigeria. Urogenital schistosomiasis is highly endemic in Apojola, a rural community in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria, but data on STH and intestinal schistosomiasis in the neglected community are lacking.</p>

<p><strong>Objectives:</strong> To determine the prevalence and intensity of STH and intestinal schistosomiasis and the risk factors associated with the infections in Apojola.</p>

<p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was community-based and cross-sectional. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographic, personal, and household WASH characteristics of the study population. Stool samples were collected and processed for parasitological examination using the triplicate Kato-Katz (K-K) smears.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong> A total of 283 individuals (males, 50.2%; females, 49.8%) aged 3 to 65&nbsp;years (mean age ± S.D.: 19.6 ± 14.8&nbsp;years) participated in the study. No case of intestinal schistosomiasis was recorded in the study, while the overall prevalence of any STH was 38.2%:&nbsp;<em>A. lumbricoides</em>&nbsp;(24.0%) and hookworms (25.8%). Prevalence of infection was not significantly different between males and females for any STH (40.1%&nbsp;<em>vs</em>. 36.2%,&nbsp;<em>χ</em><sup>2</sup> = 0.473,&nbsp;<em>p</em> = 0.492);&nbsp;<em>A. lumbricoides</em>&nbsp;(23.2%&nbsp;<em>vs</em>. 22.7%,&nbsp;<em>χ</em><sup>2</sup> = 0.012,&nbsp;<em>p</em> = 0.913); or hookworms (28.2%&nbsp;<em>vs</em>. 23.4%;&nbsp;<em>p</em> = 0.360;&nbsp;<em>χ</em><sup>2</sup> = 0.839), but significantly varied with age for any STH (<em>χ</em><sup>2</sup> = 22.225,&nbsp;<em>p</em> = 0.002);&nbsp;<em>A. lumbricoides</em>&nbsp;(<em>χ</em><sup>2</sup> = 16.354,&nbsp;<em>p</em> = 0.022); or hookworms (<em>χ</em><sup>2</sup> = 20.001,&nbsp;<em>p</em> = 0.006). The intensity of infection was neither associated with gender nor age and was mostly light. Walking barefoot, toilet type (absent/bush), and irregular washing of fruits and/or vegetables before consumption were significantly associated with STH.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Our data indicate that intestinal schistosomiasis is not prevalent in Apojola and that the community is a moderate-risk area for STH. Hence, the current annual preventive chemotherapy for STH (PC STH) with albendazole or mebendazole in school-aged children (SAC) through the school-based delivery programme should be extended to non-enrolled SAC and pre-SAC using other delivery platforms. This should be complemented with regular and effective health education campaigns as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related interventions.</p>
},
  year = {2024},
  journal = {BMC Infectious Diseases},
  volume = {24},
  pages = {1-16},
  publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},
  issn = {1471-2334},
  url = {https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12879-024-10175-9.pdf},
  doi = {10.1186/s12879-024-10175-9},
  language = {ENG},
}