A comparative cross-sectional study of prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminthic infection between healthy and severe acutely malnourished pre-school aged children in Kano, Northern Nigeria

Abstract

BackgroundSoil-transmitted helminthic (STH) infections are common in Sub-Saharan Africa. One method used for control of these helminths is mass anti-helminthic administration in populations at risk of STH infections. In this regard, empiric treatment of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) for STH infection is practiced in this region. It is however unclear if children with SAM suffer more from STH infection than healthy children. The objective of this study was to compare prevalence and intensity of STH infection between pre-school aged children with SAM and healthy children.MethodsWe approached 1114 pre-school aged children attending care in two health facilities in Kano, Nigeria to partake in this study. Of this number, we recruited 620 (55.7%) children, comprising 310 well-nourished children from well-baby clinics and 310 children with SAM from Community Management for Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) centres in these facilities. We assessed their nutritional status using World Health Organisation (WHO) growth charts and collected stool samples which we analysed using Formal-Ether Concentration technique to identify STH infection and Stoll’s technique to assess intensities of STH infection. We fitted a logistic regression model to determine if there was any association between nutrition status and helminthic infection, adjusting for the confounding effects of socio-economic status and age. We compared intensity of STH infection (measured as eggs per gram of faeces) between both nutrition groups using the independent t-test.ResultsOverall STH prevalence in our population was low (2.7%) and we found no significant association between nutritional status and presence of STH infection (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 0.38 to 3.21). Majority of our study participants had either low or moderate (94.2%) and there was no statistically significant difference between intensity of STH infection (t value = − 1.52, P value = 0.13) in children with SAM and those who were well-nourished.ConclusionsThe overall STH prevalence among pre-school children was low in Kano and we did not find prevalence and intensity of STH infection to differ significantly between preschool children with SAM and well-nourished children. Our findings confirm the WHO recommendation that at low levels of prevalence and intensity, interventions to control STH are unnecessary.

A cross-sectional study of prevalence and risk factors for stunting among under-fives attending acute malnutrition treatment programmes in north-western Nigeria: Should these programmes be adapted to also manage stunting?

“…The primary study approached 1114 parents and caregivers of study participants, of whom 1011 participants (90.8%) had complete records and anthropometric measurements. 21 The cohort comprised 539 healthy children and 472 children with severe wasting. All 472 participants with severe wasting were included in our analysis.…”

“…The previous study compared helminthic prevalence and intensity of infection between severely wasted new entrants into CMAM programmes and healthy children, and determined the risk factors for this. 21 We developed the conceptual framework for our secondary analysis using the variable relationship shown in Figure 1 .…”

“…In our previous study, conducted from November 2016 to May 2017, we administered our study questionnaires to consecutive new entrants (aged 6–59 mo) into the CMAM programme in Kano state, north-western Nigeria (Figure 2 ). 21 These children were either self-referred or identified in communities by CMAM programme case finding. During enrolment clinics, trained community health extension workers, who were part of our study team and independent of the CMAM programme, performed anthropometric measurements (length/height and weight) using standardised procedures.…”

High intestinal parasite infection detected in children from Región Autónoma Atlántico Norte (R.A.A.N.) of Nicaragua

“…Although prevalence is used in STH epidemiological surveys, intensity of infection is more important as a determinant of morbidity 35 . The light intensity of T. trichiura is normal in endemic areas where most students harbor low or moderate burdens, while only a few individuals harbor a heavy burden 19 , 33 , 36 . Moreover, the moderate intensity of A. lumbricoides appears mostly in children of 6–11 years of age.…”

Protocol for a comparative cross-sectional study on characterisation of auditory impairment in sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait and its impact on health-related quality of life in Nigeria

“…The sample size was determined using the minimum number per group of participants required for the study using the standard formula for sample size in a comparative study and setting the study power at 80%. 16 To derive our sample size, we used prevalence data from a previously published local study on prevalence of sensorineural HL in SCD 17 and control. 18 …”