<p>More Than Half Prevalence of Protozoan Parasitic Infections Among Diarrheic Outpatients in Eastern Tigrai, Ethiopia, 2019; A Cross-Sectional Study</p>

Abstract

Background: Protozoan infections remain a major public health concern in Ethiopia, which causes malnutrition, protein and iron deficiencies, increment of health costs, hospitalization and long-term deleterious effects. In Tigrai, particularly, in the study area, there are limited literatures on the prevalence of protozoa and associated factors among diarrheic outpatients. Thus, aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of protozoan infections among diarrheic outpatients in Eastern Tigrai. Methods: Health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Eastern Tigrai, Ethiopia from April to October 2019 among diarrheic outpatient in health facilities of Adigrat. Four hundred one eighteen study participants were included consecutively. The stool samples were examined via direct wet mount following formal-ether concentration technique. Both interviewer based and self-administrated questionnaires were used to collect demographic data and factors associated with protozoan infections. Data were analyzed and computed using BM SPSS statistics version 22.0. P-value=0.05 at 95% confidence interval declared statistically significant. Results: Out of 418 diarrheic outpatients, the overall prevalence of protozoan infection was 59.3% (248/418). A higher percentage of intestinal protozoan infection was recorded for females 130 (31.1%). Using well water as a source of drinking, poor hand washing habits before eating, not home latrine, dirty and untrimmed fingernails were the most important risk factors identified. E. histolytica complex and Giardia duodenalis were the most predominant protozoan infections detected among diarrheic outpatients. Conclusion: The present study showed that diarrheic outpatients in the study area were heavily infected with protozoan parasitic infection. E. histolytica complex and Giardia duodenalis were the most predominant protozoans detected among diarrheic outpatients. Using well water as a source of drinking, poor handwashing habit before eating, not having home latrine, dirty and untrimmed fingernails were most important risk factors identified. So, cooperative action and health education on preventive measure are needed to reduce protozoan infections in Tigrai, particularly in the study area. The present study showed that diarrheic outpatients in the study area were heavily infected with protozoan parasitic infection.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Human Intestinal Protozoan Parasitic Infections in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…The association between fingernail trimming and cleanness habits and intestinal protozoan parasitic infection in people of Ethiopia was computed from 12 studies [ 18 , 28 – 38 ]. The pooled results showed that individuals with poor fingernail trimming and cleanness habits were 1.7 times more likely to be infected with HIPPIs than their counterparts (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 0.89-2.25, and P ≤ 0.001) (Supplementary 1 = S1 ).…”

“…The association between open field defecation and intestinal protozoan parasitic infection among people in Ethiopia was computed from six studies [ 3 , 34 , 35 , 38 , 42 , 50 ]. People who practiced open field defecation were 2.91 times more likely to have intestinal protozoan parasitic infections than those who did not practice open field defecation (OR: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.60-4.21) ( S4 ).…”

“…The association between the habits of eating raw, unwashed, contaminated, leftover fruits and vegetables with intestinal protozoan parasitic infections was evaluated from nine studies [ 18 , 27 – 29 , 34 , 35 , 38 , 44 , 45 ]. The odds of having intestinal protozoan parasitic infections was 1.77 times higher among people who had habits of eating raw, unwashed, contaminated, leftover fruits and vegetables as compared with the counterparts (OR: 1.77, 95%; CI: 1.03-2.51) ( S5 ).…”

“…The pooled results of eleven studies [ 17 , 27 , 28 , 30 , 31 , 38 , 42 , 46 , 47 , 50 , 51 ] revealed that people who drink unprotected water were 3.33 times more likely to have intestinal protozoan parasitic infections than those who drink protected water (OR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.30-5.36) ( S8 ).…”

Prevalence and risk factors of intestinal protozoan infection among child students with disabilities in Bantul District, Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia

“…11 This was consistent to a previous study conducted by Shrestha et al 20 Other study also showed that drinking untreated water has a correlation with intestinal protozoan infection in school children. 21,22 The differences of this risk factors could be caused by the low prevalence of intestinal protozoan infection in the children with disabilities at Bantul District, Special Region of Yogyakarta (TABLE 5).…”