Abstract Amoebiasis has a worldwide distribution. I

Hassan Suleiman

Katsa Manasseh

Reuben C Rine

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 International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ___________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202 
Vol. 2(7), 42-45, July (2013) Int. Res. J. Biological Sci. 
 
 International Science Congress Association        42 
Prevalence of Intestinal Amoebiasis in School Age Children in Lafia, 
Nasarawa State, Nigeria 
 
Reuben C. Rine
1
*, Katsa Manasseh
1
 and Hassan Suleiman C.
2
 
1Dept. of Sci. Laboratory Tech., School of Science and Technology, Nasarawa State Polytechnic, P.M.B 109, Lafia, Nasarawa State, NIGERIA 
2Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Minna, NIGERIA 
 
Available online at: www.isca.in 
Received 24th April 2013, revised 14th May 2013, accepted 10th June 2013 
 
 
 
Abstract  
Amoebiasis has a worldwide distribution. It causes death, impairs the physical, mental and intellectual development thereby 
exerting tremendous impact on productivity of individuals especially the youngsters. This study determined the prevalence of 
amoebiasis in school age children in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty (120) stool samples were 
examined for the cysts and/or trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica using the direct smear and formol/ether concentration 
techniques. Thirty two (26.7%) of the samples were found to be positive for the parasite. The highest prevalence of 40.0% 
was recorded among children from Government Secondary School Tudun Kauri. There was no significant difference 
(P>0.05) between the prevalence of amoebiasis among children examined from the various schools. Children within the age 
group of 6 -10 years old had the highest rate (31.%) of infection. Males (27.7%) were more infected than females (24.3%) 
proportionately. Pre-secondary school children had the least rate (16.7%) of infection as compared with those in secondary 
schools (20%). Improved sanitation, personal hygiene and deliberate policy for regular deworming of school age children by 
the government will decrease the rate of intestinal parasitic infections. 
 
Keywords: Amoebiasis, children, infection and hygiene. 
 
Introduction  
Amoebiasis is a condition due to the infection by the protozoan 
parasite Entamoeba histolytica. The disease is still considered a 
major public health problem in developing countries of the 
world. It is recorded that 450 million persons are infected every 
year, with an incidence of 50 million, and 100,000 death tolls
1,2
.  
 
Amoebiasis is widespread in its distribution, occurring in all 
parts of the world. The invasive amoebiasis is more prevalent in 
certain areas of the world including West and South-East Africa, 
China, the whole South-East Asia, Mexico and western portions 
of South America, and the India subcontinent
3
. Poor 
environmental sanitation, personal hygiene and overcrowding as 
well as ignorance are some of the major factors that influence 
the high incidence and prevalence of E. histolytica in these 
regions.  
 
In Nigeria, amoebiasis is prevalent and widespread
4
. There have 
been several reports from various parts of Nigeria
5-7
, which 
recognized them as important health problems especially among 
young children. Several epidemiological studies have indicated 
a high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among 
Nigerian children
8
. 
 
Infants under a year old are rarely infected with amoebiasis
4
. 
The incidence gradually increases during childhood and usually 
reaches its highest incidence in young adults
9
. Worm infestation 
results in malnutrition, anaemia and retarded growth, they cause 
absenteeism in children of school age and affect their 
performance, other physical and mental health problems with 
serious consequences may occur and overall development
10
. 
Most of the affected population stay and carry out their 
home/domestic affairs in a very poor environmental  
condition
11-13
.  
 
The high prevalence of E. histolytica infections is closely linked 
with poverty, poor personal hygiene, poor environmental 
hygiene, and poor health service providers having an inadequate 
supply of drugs and lack of adequate and proper awareness of 
the transmission mechanisms and life-cycle patterns of these 
parasites
5,14,15
. Children and pregnant women are mostly 
vulnerable to these infections
14
. School children, in particular, 
are good targets for mass-treatment programs against intestinal 
worms because they have the heaviest infections. Treating 
children has been shown to reduce transmission to untreated 
members of the community
16
. 
 
Despite the high prevalence of amoebiasis in various parts of 
Nigeria, there is little or no information regarding amoebiasis in 
school age children in Lafia. It is in the view of these that this 
study was performed in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria to 
determine the prevalence of amoebiasis among school age 
children. The outcome of the study would help to provide basis 
for the development of control programme that can improve the 
health status of children, their home environment and personal 
hygiene. 
International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ________________________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202   
Vol. 2(7), 42-45, July (2013)                    Int. Res. J. Biological Sci.
           
International Science Congress Association  43 
Material and Methods 
Samples Collection and Handling: Permission for the work 
was obtained from the principals/Heads of the selected schools 
and also the education officer of Nasarawa State Educational 
Inspectorate Zone. Principals, teachers, and students of the 
selected schools were informed and consented as to the project 
and objective of this study. 
 
One hundred and twenty (120) stool samples were randomly 
collected into sterile corked plastic tubes from students across 4 
Schools in Lafia viz: Government Science School Lafia 
(GSSL), Government Secondary School Tudun Kauri (GSSTK), 
National High School (NHS) and St James Christian Academy 
(SJCA). The samples were labeled appropriately and then 
transported to the Biology Laboratory of the Department of 
Science Laboratory Technology, Nasarawa State Polytechnic, 
Lafia for laboratory analyses. Structured questionnaire was 
administered to each respondent. 
 
Examination of Stool Samples: The stool samples collected 
were examined in batches using the formol/ether concentration 
techniques and the direct smear methods with normal saline and 
iodine solution
17, 18
. The data obtained were analyzed using Chi-
Square statistics. 
 
Results and Discussion  
This study indicated that the prevalence of amoebiasis among 
school age children in Lafia is 26.7%. Thirty two (32) of the 120 
stool samples examined were positive. The highest prevalence 
(40.0%) was observed in GSS Tudun Kauri while SJCA had the 
least prevalence rate (16.7%) (table 1). 
 
Table-1 
Prevalence of Amoebiasis Among School Children in Lafia 
School 
No. 
Examined No. Positive % Positive 
GSSL 30 8 26.7 
SJCA 30 5 16.7 
GSSTK 30 12 40.0 
NHS 30 7 23.3 
TOTAL 120 32 26.7 
Legend: GSSL; Government Science School Lafia, GSSTK; 
Government Secondary School Tudun Kauri, NHS; National 
High School, SJCA; St James Christian Academy  
 
The distribution of the prevalence of infection among the 
various age groups showed that correspondents between the age 
group of 6 – 10 had the highest prevalence of 31.0% while the 
least prevalence rate of 16>7% was observed in the ages of <5 
(table 2).  
 
With respect to gender, males had the highest prevalence rate of 
27.70% while females had the prevalence rate of 24.3% 
respectively (table 3).  
Table-2 
Age Distribution of Amoebiasis among School Children in 
Lafia 
Biodata  No. Examined  No. Positive  % Positive  
< 5 18 3 16.7 
6 – 10 58 18 31.0 
11– 15 33 9 27.3 
16 > 11 2 18.2 
TOTAL 120 32 26.7 
 
Table-3 
Gender Distribution of Amoebiasis Among School Children 
in Lafia 
Sex No. Examined No. Positive % Positive 
Male 83 23 27.7 
Female 37 9 24.3 
Total 120 32 26.7 
 
On the basis of School type, correspondents from secondary 
schools had he prevalence of 20% whereas those from pre-
secondary schools had 16.7% (table 4). 
 
Table-4 
Prevalence of Amoebiasis in Relation to School Type 
School Type No. Examined No. Positive 
% 
Positive 
Pre-Secondary 30 5 16.7 
Secondary 90 18 20 
Total 120 32 26.7 
 
Discussion: The results obtained from this work showed that 32 
(26.7%) of the 120 stool samples examined were positive for E. 
histolytica. At least multiple positive samples were obtained 
from all the schools. The prevalence of E. histolytica recorded 
in this study is quite higher than those obtained by some others 
researchers. A prevalence of 5.3% among school age children 
was recorded in India
19
. In Ishiagor of Abia State and Port 
Harcort, Rivers State, Nigeria, prevalence rates of 3.1% and 
11% were recorded among children respectively
20, 21
. 
 
The high prevalence of amoebiasis recorded in this study can be 
attributed to poor environmental/drainage system, unhygienic 
methods of disposing sewage, shortage of good water supply, 
indiscriminate defaecation as well as very low standard of 
personal hygiene in the study area and among school children. 
These enhanced the transmission of this parasite as the children 
mingle with one another since the transmission is mainly by 
faeco-oral route
13
. 
 
The highest prevalence of amoebiasis (40.0%) from this study 
was recorded in children attending Government Secondary 
School Tudun Kauri, Lafia. The reason for this high prevalence 
may be as a result of location of the school, been in a sub-urban 
area. The major occupation of parents/guardians of these 
children is farming. Most of these children go to farm 
barefooted and work a lot in sand with crude tools and they are 
International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ________________________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202   
Vol. 2(7), 42-45, July (2013)                    Int. Res. J. Biological Sci.
           
International Science Congress Association  44 
also careless about personal hygiene. More so, the level of 
infection is high because, during planting season flies carry 
foods contaminated with faecal material from one place to 
another. It also confirms that parasitic disease transmission 
depends on poor environmental conditions and personal 
hygiene
22
.  
 
Among the four age category represented in this study, the 
highest prevalence was recorded among those within 6-10 years 
old whereas the least was among those within <5 years old. The 
reason for the low occurrence of E. histolytica in under 5 
children can be attributed to their innate resistance due to the 
induced production of secretory immunoglobulin A (Sig A) that 
can diminish the adhesion between E. histolytica trophozoites 
epithelial cells, hence reducing new infection
23
. Also, the lack of 
antitrophozoite IgG and the acquired resistance due to intestinal 
IgA against the carbohydrate recognition domain of E. 
histolytica glactase N-Acetyl D-galactosamine lecitin is 
responsible for the partial immunity enjoyed by the under 
fives
24
.  
 
The high prevalence rate of 31.0% recorded among children 
between age group 6-10 shows a common pattern of behaviour 
and susceptibility to infection. They play a lot on the sand with 
little or no care, and they are not old enough to understand the 
advantages of general cleanliness and about personal hygiene. 
The age-groups of 11-15 and 16 > recorded lower rate of 
infestation, this is because of the maturity they now have as 
compare with the aforementioned age groups. 
 
The prevalence of E. histolytica by sex showed no meaningful 
difference and it is in line with the report of some researchers
25, 
26
. They maintained that both sex have the same chance of 
contracting the disease. In as much as boys go barefooted during 
games and girls do so in most of their games
22
. This is not 
surprising especially when one notes that both genders live in 
the same community and generally engage in similar activities 
such as fishing, farming, trading and are hence exposed to the 
same hazards continually. 
 
With respect to the school type, children from the pre-secondary 
school had the least level of infestation as compare to those in 
the secondary schools who had a higher rate of infestation. The 
reason for this variation might be due to the fact that older 
children in such schools are very adventurous and were seen to 
engage activities which necessitate more contact and exposure, 
because they are more matured to engage in activities such as 
fishing, swimming and irrigation than those of the lower age. 
 
Conclusion 
In conclusion, this study is a contribution to the epidemiological 
survey of ameobiasis in Lafia, Nasarawa State of Nigeria, as it 
revealed a relatively high prevalence of amoebiasis among 
school children. Therefore, mass chemotherapy and integrated 
measures of parasitic control would be of utmost importance in 
reducing the level of infections among children. A more 
elaborate study including adults is recommended. The findings 
will help to improve the health care delivery system in this part 
of Nigeria. 
 
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International Science Congress Association  45 
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Prevalence of Intestinal Amoebiasis in School Age Children in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

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Prevalence of Intestinal Amoebiasis in School Age Children in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

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