Childhood Intestinal Parasitic Reinfection, Sanitation and Hygiene Practice in Eastern Ethiopia: Case Control Study

Abstract

Background The recurrence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) can lead to different problems that can be transferred from generation to generation. Sanitation and hygienic practices have vital role in the parasitic reinfection. In poor hygienic and sanitation condition children may live in a continuous cycle of infection and reinfection. Objective To assess childhood IP reinfection and its association with sanitation and hygienic practice in eastern Ethiopia. Methods A population-based case-control design was used in this study. Data were collected from 75 reinfected cases and 147 unmatched controls. Fecal specimens were observed for parasites using direct smear and formol ether techniques. Epi-Info and SPSS (the statistical package for social science) were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify significant associations ( P <0.05) between variables. Results The overall IP reinfection rate within 24 weeks after treatment was 33.8% (75/222), with a 95% CI=27.7%–40.5%. The frequency of intestinal protozoa was 18%, and for helminths was 15.8%. Children who swam in a polluted water had 3.7 times greater odds of IP reinfection than children who did not swim (P =0 .01, 95% CI: 1.4–10.0). Children who regularly bathed in streams and children who bathed both at home and in streams were found to have 12.6 times and 5.8 times higher odds of IP reinfection than children who bathed regularly at home ( P =0.002, 95% CI:2.5–64.8) and ( P = 0.042, 95% CI:1.1–31.3), respectively. Children in households that owned domestic animals had 4.5 times higher odds of IP reinfection than the reference group ( P = 0.013, 95% CI: 1.3–12.5). Conclusion IP reinfection rates were significantly associated with habits of swimming in a polluted water, places of bathing, and ownership of domestic animals. Therefore, efforts should be made considering such factors to minimize IP reinfection in the area.