Intestinal helminthiasis and malnutrition amongst school children in Homa Bay district, Kenya
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between intestinal
helminthiasis and nutritional status of primary school children
in Roma bay District in south western Kenya. stool specimens
'from a<representati~e sample of 659 children were examined for
helminthic parasites and the results collated with anthropometric
data. About 44% of the" study population tested positive for at
least one intestinal helminth, however the infections were
generally of light intensities with only four" children being
classified as heavily infected. Multiple worm infestations were
reported in 29.i% of the infected individuals. At a prevalence
of 19%, Ascaris lumbricoides was the commonest helminthic
infection followed by hookworm at 16.1%, Trichuris trichuria at
11.2%, Schistosoma mansoni at 11.1%, Taenia ssp. at 0.9% and
finally Enterobius vermicularis at 0.8%. No association was
demonstrable between" intestinal helminthiasis and the
anthropometric indices of nutritional status. The overall
vitamin A status of the study population was satisfactory, but
the mean serum vitamin A level for the ascaris infected children
was significantly lower than that for the non-infected controls
(p < 0.01) and a negative correlation was demonstrated between
wormload and serum vitamin A. This shows that ascariasis can
impair micronutrient status in the absence of any
anthropometrically detectable adverse nutritional effect. It is
therefore recommended that ascaris control be an integral part
of vitamin A deficiency control programmes in areas where
avitaminosis A and ascariasis co-exist.
Citation
Master of Science in Applied Human NutritionPublisher
University of Nairobi Department of Food and Nutrition Technology