Impact of urban effluents on intestinal helminth infections in the wastewater discharge zone of the city of El Jadida, Morocco

Abstract

Purpose -This work evaluates the risk of wastewater in transmitting intestinal helminths to a population living near an urban effluent. Design/methodology/approach -This study is a copro-epidemiological evaluation of the school-age children of Sidi Daoui, a neighbourhood in the discharge area of the main sewer of the city of El Jadida and a control group from Sidi Moussa, a district far from the discharge area. Findings -Intestinal helminths are more prevalent among the children of the study group of Sidi Daoui by 43 percent, compared with 20 percent in the control group, mainly caused by ascariasis and hymenolepiasis. Enterobiasis is an intestinal vermin present with similar expansion in both zones. Polyparasitism, which cannot be found in the control group, is 6 percent in the discharge area. A total of 22 percent of helminthiasis cases among these children are attributed to wastewater, in particular ascariasis (17 percent) and hymenolepiasis (11 percent). It was found that boys are the most vulnerable, mostly between the ages of seven to nine. Originality/value -Provides some useful information concerning the risk of wastewater transmitting intestinal helminths.