Prevalence and factors associated with soil transmitted helminth infection among primary school children in Kikumuni sub-location, Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Globally, soil transmitted helminthes (STHs) infection has been identified as the main cause of illness and disease where more than two billion people are infected. Specifically, STHs infections during childhood remain a major public health challenge in developing countries, including Kenya where school going children have been reported to be at highest risk. STHs infection burden in Kenya is being addressed mainly through deworming programs, although this strategy reduces illness caused by soil-transmitted helminths, other studies have shown that it does not prevent rapid reinfection. In order to interrupt transmission and to achieve local elimination of helminthiasis, integrated control approaches that include access to sanitation and other complementary interventions of a primary prevention nature are needed. This study sought to establish factors associated with STHs infections among children aged 5 – 10 years from selected schools in Kikumini sub-location in Machakos county, Kenya. This was a cross sectional study that mainly utilized quantitative methods of data collection. It was conducted among 394 school going children from four randomly selected public primary schools in Kikumini sub-location. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire that was administered to caregivers of the school going children, Stool samples were obtained from the children for examination of STHs infection. Overall prevalence of at least one of the STHs infections was 38.6% (152/394). The most frequent STHs were A. lumbricoides, hookworms and T. trichiura with a prevalence of 25.9 % (102/394), 10.4% (41/394) and 2.3 % (9/394), respectively. A total of 124 children had single or double STHs infections. Majority 77.42% (96/124) of the children had single infection and 22.58 % (28) had double infection. None of the stool samples had triple infection. Bivariate analysis using chi square test and α set at 0.05 threshold for statistical significance, confirmed that availability and kind of toilet facility, household drinking water source, washing of hands before meals, washing of fruits before eating, education level of caregiver and occupation of household head were the risk factors reported to be significantly associated with either of the three STHs infection. On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that STH infection is an important public health problem among school children in Kikumini sub-location. Therefore, the study highlights the need for the government through health sector and other concerned stakeholders to adopt the practice of preventive measures alongside chemotherapy approach to interrupt transmission and to achieve local elimination of helminthiasis in the area.