Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health

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Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2019, Pages 81 - 87

Prevalence, Characteristics, Risk Factors, and Impact of Intestinal Parasitic Infections on School Children in Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia

Authors
Marwan A. Bakarman1, Moustafa A. Hegazi2, 3, *, Nadeem S. Butt1
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
3Department of Pediatrics, Mansoura University Children’s Hospital, Mansoura, Egypt
*Corresponding author. Email: mhegazi712003@yahoo.co.uk, Postal Address: Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. 80205, Jeddah, 21589
Corresponding Author
Moustafa A. Hegazi
Received 24 June 2017, Accepted 16 January 2018, Available Online 27 March 2019.
DOI
10.2991/jegh.k.190219.001How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Jeddah; intestinal parasitic infections; prevalence; risk factors; school children
Abstract

Intestinal Parasitic Infections (IPIs) are a major public health problem worldwide, especially among children with a need for periodical evaluation of prevalence and risk factors to adopt an appropriate prevention strategy. This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted to identify prevalence, risk factors, characteristics, and impact of IPIs on school children in different regions of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Children were recruited from randomly selected schools. Questionnaires were distributed to students and filled by their parents to collect relevant information about sociodemographic, environmental, and hygienic living conditions. Stool samples and anthropometric measurements as indicators of nutritional status were collected from students who agreed to participate in the study. Fecal samples were examined by direct smear and formol-ether concentration method. Out of 581 collected stool samples, only 31 (5.3%) samples were positive for IPIs especially Blastocystis hominis (10 samples) and Giardia lamblia (six samples). The only two significant risk factors associated with IPIs were drinking water from tanks [odds ratio (OR): 3.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60–6.99, p = 0.001] and washing hands with only water (OR: 2.63, 95% CI: 1.17–5.93, p = 0.03). There was no significant impact of IPIs on growth parameters or level of children’s academic performance.

Copyright
© 2019 Atlantis Press International B.V.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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<Previous Article In Issue
Journal
Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue
9 - 1
Pages
81 - 87
Publication Date
2019/03/27
ISSN (Online)
2210-6014
ISSN (Print)
2210-6006
DOI
10.2991/jegh.k.190219.001How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2019 Atlantis Press International B.V.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Cite this article

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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Marwan A. Bakarman
AU  - Moustafa A. Hegazi
AU  - Nadeem S. Butt
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/03/27
TI  - Prevalence, Characteristics, Risk Factors, and Impact of Intestinal Parasitic Infections on School Children in Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 81
EP  - 87
VL  - 9
IS  - 1
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/jegh.k.190219.001
DO  - 10.2991/jegh.k.190219.001
ID  - Bakarman2019
ER  -