A Survey Of The Prevalence Of Intestinal Parasites In The Low Cost And High Cost Nursery Schools In Nairobi (kenya)
Abstract
A survey of prevalence of intestinal parasites
in 500 nursery school children was done in Nairobi
during the months of March and May 1982. 304 children
were from the high cost nursery schools and 196 children
were from low cost nursery schools. 283 (56%) of
children did not have any parasite. In high cost
nursery schools 213 (70%) did not have any parasite and
in the low cost nursery schools 70 (36%) of children
did not have parasites. The prevalence of Ascaris
Lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Entamoeba coli
in the low cost nursery schools were 28%, 15%, 23%
respectively. The prevalence of these parasites in
the high cost nursery schools were 5.6%, 3.0% and 9.2%.
The difference in the prevalence of these parasites in
the high cost and low cost nursery schools was significant.
There was no differences in the prevalence of Giardia
lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Chilomastix mensili,
Endolimax nana, Hymenolepsis nana and' Iodomoeba butshilii
in low cost and high cost nursery schools. Only four children
of which one from high cost and three from low cost nurseryschool
had hookworm. Only one child had Strongyloides stercoralis.
All the children found with pathogenic parasites were
treated.
Citation
Master of medicine (paediatrics and child health),University of Nairobi,1982.Publisher
University of Nairobi paediatrics and child health