Abstract:
Introduction: Soil-transmitted helminths remain a major public health problem, particularly in
tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Preschool aged children are among people at risk
of these infections. Epidemiological information on the prevalence and infection intensity of soiltransmitted helminths in area is a prerequisite for development and evaluation of sound control
strategies.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine prevalence and infection intensity of soiltransmitted helminths and associated factors among preschool children in Butajira Town,
Southern Ethiopia.
Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted from May 3 to June 23, 2014 in
Butajira Town. A total of three hundred and seventy seven preschool children, selected by
systematic sampling method had complete data for this study. Data were collected by house-tohouse visit. Questionnaire data on associated factors of soil-transmitted helminths were
collected by using semi-structured questionnaire. Moreover, fresh stool samples were collected
using clean, dry and wide mouthed labeled stool cups. It was processed by McMaster egg
counting technique at Butajira General Hospital laboratory. Peripheral blood samples were also
collected and hemoglobin was measured by HemoCue Hb 301. Data were entered and analysed
using Statistical Package for Social Sciences-16 version and p-value < 0.05 considered
statistically significant.
Results: Out of 377 study participants, 88 (23.3%) were infected with one or more soiltransmitted helminths. Ascaris lumbricoides was the predominant parasite(14.9%) followed by
Trichuris trichiura (6.4%). The overall infection intensity of soil-transmitted helminth expressed
as geometric mean among the study participants for Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura
and hookworms were 229, 178, and 154 EPG, respectively. Multivariate analysis confirmed that
age group between 36-47 months (AOR, 2.501, 95%CI, 1.189 -5.26, p=0.016), untrimmed hands
finger nail(AOR, 3.198, 95% CI, 1.849-5.53,p=0.000), and not washing hands before
meal(AOR, 3.01, 95%CI, 1.671-5.433,p=0.000) were a significant predictor for soil-transmitted
helminth infections in these children. Out of soil-transmitted helminth infected children, 4(4.5%)
children had anemia where as only one child had anemia among non infected children.
Conclusion and recommendation: Soil-transmitted helminth infections were prevalent with light
to moderate infection intensity in the study area. Thus, this study highlights the need for
preventive chemotherapy of at least once annually. The existing health education program
should also be strengthed by focusing on personal hygiene of these children to have a lasting
impact on transmission.
