Background: This study was conducted to determine the effects of physico-chemical parameters of soils in environments used for open defecation on the abundance of geohelminths in Emohua, Rivers State, South South, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 720 soil samples were collected randomly from soils found in fallowing farmlands used for open defaecation and around pit toilet environments in Mgbuitanwo, Isiodu, and Rumuche Communities in Emohua local Government Area of Rivers State. Two hundred and forty samples were collected randomly from each of the communities between the months of January-June 2013 and 2014 respectively. The samples were analysed for temperature, pH, and organic content and Centrifugal flotation method was used to examine the samples for geohelminths.

No abstract

Background: In Nigeria, intestinal parasitic infection (IPI) is one of the neglected tropical diseases of public health importance. Objectives: This study investigated intestinal parasitic infection and associated risk factors among primary school-aged children in Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 622 stool samples (335 males and 287 females) were collected from 13 primary schools in nine communities and analyzed using parasitological techniques (direct wet mount and formal ether concentration method). The Tukey Honest Significance Difference test (HSD) was used to determine the association and variation between prevalence and socioeconomic variables. Results: Nine parasite species were encountered with a total prevalence of 23.95%, including Ascaris lumbricoides (7.32%), Entamoeba histolytica (4.98%), Strongyloides stercorals (2.09%), Giardia lamblia (1.93%), Hookworm (1.77%), Trichuris trichiura (1.61%), Schistosoma mansoni (1.45%), Diphyllobotium latium (0.64%) and Fasciola hepatica (0.32%). A total of 4.50% of infections were mixed. With 30.26%, the age group 5 - 7 years had the highest infection rate. The second most prevalent age group was 8 - 10 years old (26.53%), while the least prevalent age group was 14 - 16 years old (12.60%). Males were more infected with the disease, 25.07%, than females, 22.65%. Ascaris lumbricoides were the most predominantcommon parasites encountered across the nine communities. There was a significant difference between the infected population in the nine communities at P < 0.05 (P = 0.001). Conclusions: There was a relatively high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection among primary school children in Sagbama local government area. Improved sanitation, safe drinking water, and set-up health education in the communities will reduce the exacerbation of the infection in the area.