Revista de enfermedades tropicales y salud pública

Abstracto

Prevalence and Reinfection of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura among Elementary School Children in Rural Villages of Bali

Nengah Kapti, Putu Sutisna*, Dewa Putu Widjana

Background: A study was carried out on the prevalence of infection and reinfection of A. lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura among elementary school children in Abiansemal Subdistrict, Bali.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of the two worm species and reinfection that occurred after treatment.  

Method: The elementary schools of SD1 Taman, SD3 Mambal, and SD3 Sibang Kaja were selected as the study sites by random sampling. Faecal samples from school children of the three selected elementary schools were collected and examined by Kato-Katz thick smear technique. Interview was done to assess the children’s habits and risk factors for reinfection.  Data of prevalence were analyzed by chi-square test and the other data were analyzed descriptively.

Results: The study found an overall prevalence of intestinal worm infection of 72.8%, the highest was found at SD1 Taman (92.4%). The prevalence in male school children was higher (75.7%) than in female children (69.3%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Infection intensity of A. lumbricoides was mostly (77.7%) light and that of T. trichiura were mostly (84.8%) very light. Treatment of ascariasis with Pyrantel 10 mg/kg BW in a single dose, and trichuriasis with Mebendazole 100 mg twice a day for three days, and of mixed infection of the two species with Pyrantel 125 mg and Mebendazole 100 mg in a single dose for three days gave an overall cure rate of 95.5%. Reinfection rates of A. lumbricoides at second and third months after treatment were 1.3% and 11.9%, respectively. Reinfection rates of T. trichiura at first, second, and third months after treatment were 4.7%, 7.6%, and 20.9%, respectively. School children whose families routinely covered their meals at home had a lower reinfection rate than those whose families did not cover their meals (p<0.05).

Conclusions: The overall prevalence of intestinal helminth infection among elementary school children in the three rural villages surveyed was high. Reinfection rate pf Ascaris and Trichuris occurred with the highest rates at three months after treatment.