Malaria and helminth co-infections in outpatients of Alaba Kulito Health Center, southern Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Distribution of malaria and intestinal helminths is known to overlap in developing tropical countries of the world. Co-infections with helminth and malaria parasites cause a significant and additive problem against the host. The aim of this study was to asses the prevalence of malaria/helminth co-infection and the associated problems among febrile outpatients that attended Alaba Kulito Health Center, southern Ethiopia November and December 2007. A total of 1802 acute febrile patients were diagnosed for malaria. 458 Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films were used for identification of <it>Plasmodium </it>species and Stool samples prepared using Kato-Katz technique were used to examine for intestinal helminths. Haemoglobin concentration was measured using a portable spectrophotometer (Hemocue HB 201). Anthropometry-based nutritional assessment of the study participants was done by measuring body weight to the nearest 0.1 kg and height to the nearest 0.1 cm.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>458 of the total febrile patients were positive for malaria. Co infection with <it>Plasmodium </it>and helminth parasites is associated with significantly (p < 0.001) higher anaemia prevalence than single infection with <it>Plasmodium </it>parasites. And this difference was also significant for haemoglobin concentration (F = 10.18, p = 0.002), in which patients co infected with <it>Plasmodium </it>and helminth parasites showed lower mean haemoglobin concentration. More than one-third of the infected cases in both malaria infections and malaria/helminth co infections are undernourished. However the statistics for the difference is not significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Malaria and soil-transmitted helminthiasis obviously contribute to anaemia and low weight status and these conditions are more pronounced in individuals concurrently infected with malaria and soil-transmitted helminths. Hence, simultaneous combat against the two parasitic infections is very crucial to improve health of the affected communities.</p

Geohelminth Infections among Pregnant Women in Rural Western Kenya; a Cross-Sectional Study

In rural western Kenya, both malaria and intestinal infections with worms are common. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to infection with malaria, but the effect on pregnancy of intestinal infections with worms is not clear and may depend both on how heavy the worm infection is and on the type of worm. Additionally, it is not clear whether infections with worms may affect malaria infections. In this article, we begin to disentangle some of these issues. Intestinal infections with worms were diagnosed in three-quarters of 390 pregnant women in western Kenya who provided a stool sample. In these women, intestinal worm infections caused a modest decrease both in haemoglobin levels and indicators of nutritional status. Women in their second and third pregnancies who were diagnosed with one particular type of worm infection (Ascaris lumbricoides) were less likely to have malaria than other women in their second or third pregnancies who did not have this type of worm infection. Although our results suggest that it would be good advice to treat women with drugs for intestinal worm infections during their pregnancy in this area, the effect on maternal and infant health and malaria infection needs further study

Complex Interactions between Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Malaria in Pregnant Women on the Thai-Burmese Border

Intestinal worms, particularly hookworm and whipworm, can cause anaemia, which is harmful for pregnant women. The WHO recommends deworming in pregnancy in areas where hookworm infections are frequent. Some studies indicate that coinfection with worms and malaria adversely affects pregnancy whereas other studies have shown that coinfection with worms might reduce the severity of malaria. On the Thai-Burmese border malaria in pregnancy has been an important cause of maternal death. We examined the relationship between intestinal helminth infections in pregnant women and their malaria risk in our antenatal care units. In total 70% of pregnant women had worm infections, mostly hookworm, but also roundworm and whipworm; hookworm was associated with mild anaemia although ova counts were not high. Women infected with hookworm had more malaria and their babies had a lower birth weight than women without hookworm. In contrast women with roundworm infections had the lowest rates of malaria in pregnancy. Deworming eliminates all worms. In this area it is unclear whether mass deworming would be beneficial

A survey of blood parasites among blood donors at Eku, Delta State, Nigeria

This study involved blood film examination of 500 healthy blood donors (308 males and 192 females) between the ages of 15-54 years who attended Baptist Medical Centre Eku, Delta State, between August, 2004 and March 2005, 219 (43.80%) were positive for blood parasites; 26 (5.20%) for Trypanasoma, 152 (30.40%) for Plasmodium and 41 (8.20%) for microfilariae. Male blood donors showed relatively higher prevalence (32.20%) than female donors (11.60%). Although parasite prevalence was highest in the age-group 30-34 years, there was no statistical difference among age groups. All blood group types and parasites, though blood group O had the dominant prevalence (44.92%). In addition, the rural-urban prevalence, skewed toward rural blood donors (29.00%), but this was not statistically significant. With respect to occupation, the farming blood donors had the highest prevalence (57.53%) while student donors had the least (14.72%). The study confirms that blood transfusion will always represent a risk, through small to the recipient. Careful and critical examinations of donors to improve good donor selection and transfusion practice are essential. Keywords: prevalence, parasites, blood donors, Nigeria Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 25, 2004: 87-9

Observations on the intestinal helminth parasites of cichlids in the upper reaches of River Orogodo, a freshwater body in Delta State, Southern Nigeria

The prevalence and intensity of intestinal helminth parasites of five predominant cichlids; Hemichromis fasciatus, Chromidotilapia guentheri, Tilapia mariae, Tilapia zilli and Tilapia aurea of the upper reaches of River Orogodo in Delta State, Southern Nigeria were examined. The water body was randomly sampled using a variety of fishing gear which included funnel entrance traps, cast nets of varying mesh sizes and baited hook long lines. Of a total of 183 fishes investigated, 111 (60.66%) were infected. The increasing order of relative prevalence was Chromidotilapia quentheri (21.62%), Tilapia mariae (63.64%), Tilapia aurea (70.97%), Tilapia zilli (71.79%) and Hemichromis faciatus (74.42%). The intestinal helminth parasites recovered were Acanthophalans (Acanthogyrus sp and Octospiniferoides sp), Nematodes (Camallanus sp and Cucullanus sp) and Cestodes (Wenyonia sp). Tilapia mariae had the highest parasite intensity (425) while Chromidotilapia quentheri had the least (65). Although, the sex predilection skewed towards females (64.77%) as against males (56.84%) significant difference was not observed (P>0.05). Viable preventive measures against fish parasitism in Nigerian freshwater bodies are highly recommended.Keywords: helminth, cichlids, freshwater, Nigeria Tropical Freshwater Biology 2003/2004 Vol. 12/13: 131-13

Prevalence of malaria and human blood factors among patients in Ethiope East, Delta State, Nigeria

Background: Malaria has been and is still a major protozoan disease affecting the human population. Erythrocyte polymorphisms (mainly in blood groups and genotypes) influence the susceptibility to severe malaria. Aim: This study is aimed at assessing the prevalence malaria in relation to human blood factor and to identify the susceptibility of malaria to these factors. Methods: The prevalence of malaria with blood groups and genotypes were determined in 206 subjects attending the three major medical centres in Eku-Abraka metropolis. Results: It was found that blood group O was present in 60.68% of the population, with 17.98%, 16.99% and 4.37% in B, A and AB respectively, while genotype AA was highest with 75.73% prevalence. Blood group O+ was associated with 85.71% infection, as the most susceptible of the blood groups. It was shown that dominant homozygotes, HbAA, were more susceptible than the sickle cell trait, HbAS, while sickle cell disease, HbSS, were most vulnerable to the plasmodial parasite. A combination of blood group O+ and AS genotype showed the least susceptibility to malaria with significant sample size. Conclusion: This work provides insights into the relationship between malaria, blood groups and genotypes Key words: Malaria, prevalence, plasmodium, blood groups, genotypes, erythrocyte polymorphis

Plasmodium/intestinal helminth co-infections among pregnant Nigerian women

Hospital based studies were conducted to investigate the occurrence of Plasmodium/intestinal helminth co-infections among pregnant Nigerian women, and their effects on birthweights, anaemia and spleen size. From 2,104 near-term pregnant women examined, 816 (38.8%) were found to be infected with malaria parasites. Among the 816 parasitaemic subjects, 394 (48.3%) were also infected with intestinal helminths, 102 (12.5%) having mixed helminth infections. The prevalence of the helminth species found in stool samples of parasitaemic subjects examined was, Ascaris lumbricoides (19.1%), hookworm (14.2%), Trichuris trichiura (7%) Schistosoma mansoni (3.4%), Enterobius vermicularis (2%), Hymenolepis sp. (1.6%) and Taenia sp. (1%). Mothers with Plasmodium infection but without intestinal helminth infection had neonates of higher mean birthweights than those presenting both Plasmodium and intestinal helminth infections and this effect was more pronounced in primigravids. The mean haemoglobin values of malarial mothers with intestinal helminth infections were lower than those with Plasmodium infection but without intestinal helminth infections but these were not statistically significant. Severe splenomegaly was predominant among parasitaemic gravidae who also harboured S. mansoni infection in two of the hospitals studied