Soil Contamination Rate, Prevalence, and Intensity of Soil- Transmitted Helminths and Associated Factors Among Residents of Periurban Kebeles in Jimma Town, South West Ethiopia.

Abstract

ntroduction: Soil-transmitted helminthic infections are the leading neglected tropical diseases. They are distributed around the world with high prevalence rates in tropical and subtropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and Asia where the warm moist environments favor worm egg and larvae survival, socioeconomic risk factors such as poor hygiene and sanitation prevail, and where limited access to safe water sources facilitates. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine soil contamination rate, prevalence, and the intensity of Soil-transmitted helminths, and associated risk factors among residents of Periurban kebeles in Jimma town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021 Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Peri-urban kebeles of Jimma town from May to June 2021, systematic random sampling were used to recruit a total of 376 household heads (HHH) from 422 HHHs, 478 School-age children (SAC) from 522 SAC, and 459 soil samples from 153 households. Data on socio-demographic and predisposing factors were collected using a structured questionnaire. Moreover, Stool samples from each study participant and soil samples from 153 households (children’s playground, toilet area, and Refused dumps site) were collected and examined microscopically using Kato Katz and Zinc Sulphate floatation techniques, respectively. The data were entered into Epidata 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25 for further analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize socio-demographic characteristics of the study participants. Logistic regression was performed to determine the risk factors associated with STH infections. The level of statistical significance was declared at P < 0.05. Results: The overall Prevalence of any Soil-transmitted helminths in stool samples was 18.1% and 23.4% among (HHH), and SAC respectively and the overall prevalence of any STH eggs in the soil was 39.2%. The prevalence of STH among HHHs was 18.1% with A. lumbricoides being the predominant species (11.4%) followed by T. trichiura 7.2% and hookworm 2.1%. Most of the household heads positive for STH had single infections (83.8%) and light-intensity infections 88.5). The wealth status, habits of hand washing before meals, status of fingernail, and types of toilet facility were found to have statistically significant associations with the Soil-transmitted helminth infection. II The prevalence of Soil-transmitted helminths among SAC was 23.4% with A. lumbricoides being the predominated STH species (15.7%) followed by T. trichiura (9%) and hookworms (2.1%). Most of the SAC positive for STH had a single infection (86.6%) and light intensity infection (88.2) Multivariate analysis confirmed that residence, not always washing hands after defecation, untrimmed hand fingernail, and not taking anthelminthic drugs in the past 12 months were a significant predictor for Soil-transmitted helminth infection in SAC. Soil contamination rate in at least one location within a household was 39.2% with A. lumbricoides being the predominant species 35.9%. The most contaminated site with any Soil transmitted helminth eggs was the Refuse damp site 21.6%, followed by the Toilet area (18.3%), and the children’s playground 7.8%. Multivariate analysis confirmed that unimproved toilet facilities, having domestic animal, and self reported history of STH infection were a significant predictor for soil contamination with Soil-transmitted helminth. Conclusion and recommendation: The current study’s findings indicated that Soil-transmitted helminth infection is prevalent to varying degrees among household heads, school-age children, and the environments of a peri-urban community of Jimma town. Even though the prevalence of STH among household heads is relatively at a low level, it could still remain an important reservoir for reinfection in the community. and a wide range of soil contamination rates suggested that the community in this area was at high risk of acquiring STH infection. which suggests a need for prompting health education aimed at disease prevention and improving the socioeconomic status of the community. Moreover, the finding of this study indicated the need for expanding the deworming program to the entire community