Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites under Fingernails of Primary School Children in Zakho, Kurdistan Region
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25271/2017.5.1.295Keywords:
Parasites, fingernails, children, Zakho, Kurdistan, IraqAbstract
In this study, 103 fingernails samples were collected (31 female and 72 male) from primary school children aged between 6 to12 years, which lived in Zakho city during the period from March to November, 2015. Each fingernail sample was immersed in normal saline, and subsequently centrifuged for 5 minutes at 2500 rpm. The supernatant was discarded; a few drops of the sediment of each sample were placed on the center of a clean glass slide with a drop of iodine or eosin, and then examined microscopically. The results revealed a total rate of 25.24% of infection with parasites. The recorded parasites with their rates included: eggs of Enterobius vermicularis, Hymenolepis nana, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichaura (7.76, 5.82, 2.91 and 0.97 %, respectively) and cysts of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia (4.85 and 2.91 %). According to age, the highest percentage of infection occurred in 9 years old children. Regarding the gender, males showed a higher rate of infection than females (17.47 % versus 7.76%, respectively). These results clarify the role of fingernails in the transmission of parasitic infections, which requires continuous cleaning and cutting.
References
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Ayeh-Kumi, P. F.;Quarcoo, S.;Kwakye-Nuako, G.;Kretchy, J. P.;Osafo-Kantanka, A., and Mortu, S. (2009). Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among food vendors in Accra, Ghana.Journal of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology. 32(1): 1-8.
Fan, P. C.; Chung W. C.; Fan, C. K.; Huang, P., and Yen, C. W. (1998).Current status of Enterobius vermicularis infection among school children in Taiwan and offshore island. Chin. J. Parasitol. 11: 47- 65.
Harhay, M. O.; Horton J., and Olliaro, P. L. (2010).Epidemiology and control of human gastrointestinal parasites in children. Expert Rev. Anti. Infect.Ther., 8: 219–234.
Hassan, S. B., and Nazir, H. S. (2010).The role of the fingernails and feet in the prevalence of pollution in the intestinal parasites and stages between students Duhok-province of northern Iraq. J. Anbar University of Pure Sciences, 4(2): 28-35.
Hotez, P. J.;Brindley, P. J.;Bethony, J. M.; King, C. H.; Pearce, E. J., and Jacobson, J. (2008). Helminth infections: the great neglected tropical diseases. J.Clin.Invest., 118:1311–1321.
Kagei, N. (1983). Techniques for the measurement of environmental pollution by infective stage of soil transmitted helminths. Yokogowa M., collected papers on the control of soil transmitted helminthiasis. APCO Tokyo, 11: 27-46.
Khan, M. Y. (1979). An analytical study of factors related to infestation by intestinal parasites in rural school children (report of a pilot study). Public Health. 93: 82–88.
Luong, T. V. (2003). De-worming school children and hygiene intervention. Int. J. Environ. Health Res., 13: S15–S159.
Mahmud, M. A.;Spigt, M., Bezabih, A. M.;Pavon, I. L.;Dinant, G. J., and Velasco, R. B. (2013).Risk factors for intestinal parasitosis, anaemia, and malnutrition among school children in Ethiopia.Pathog.Glob.Health, 107: 58– 65.
Moses, A.;Uchenna, U., and Michael, E. (2013).Prevalence of intestinal parasites from the fingers of school children in Ohaozara, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. American Journal of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1(5): 22 -27.
Mustafa, U.; Adnan, S.;Gonul, A.;Hatice, O., and Suleyman, A. (2001).Environmental pollution with soil – transmitted helminths in Sanliurfa, Turkey.Memorial Institute Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro. 96(7): 903-909.
Palmer, S.R., and Biffin, A.H. (1990) Cryptosporidiosis in England and Wales: prevalence and clinical and epidemiological features. British Medical Journal 300, 774–777.
Quihui, L.;Valencia, M. E.; Crompton, D. W. T.; Phillips S.; Hagan P., and Morales G. (2006). Role of the employment status and education of mothers in the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in Mexican rural schoolchildren. BMC Public Health, 6:225. doi.10.1187/1471-2458-6- 225.
Roche, J., and Benito, A. (1990).Prevalence of intestinal parasites with special reference to Entamoeba histolytica on the Island of Bioko (Equatorial Guinea). Am. J. Trop.Med. Hyg., 60(2): 257-262.
Sackey, M. E.;Weigel, M. M., and Armijos, R. X. (2003).Predictors and nutritional consequences of intestinal parasitic infections in rural Ecuadorian children. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 49(1): 17-23.
Stephenson, L. S.; Latham, M. C.,Kinoti, S. N.;Kurz, K. M., and Brigham, H. (1998). Improvement in physical fitness in Kenya schoolboys infected with hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides following a single dose of Albendazole. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med.Hyg., 84: 277- 282.
WHO (1987).Public health significance of intestinal parasitic infections.Bull World Health Organ, 65(5):575–588.
WHO (2006).Regional Office for South East Asia. Guidelines on Standard Operating Procedure for Microbiology 2006.[cited Aug 2011] Available from: http://www.searo.who.int/en/Section10/Section17/ Section53/Section482_1804.htm.
WHO (2010).Neglected Tropical Diseases - PCT Databank.
Zuk, M., and McKean, K. A. (1996).Sex differences in parasite infections: patterns and processes.Int.J.Parasitol.,(26):1009–1023
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2017-03-30
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Jameel, A. Y., Issa, A. R., Amidy, K. S., Mero, W. M. S., Sabri, M. A., & Khdihir, M. A. (2017). Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites under Fingernails of Primary School Children in Zakho, Kurdistan Region. Science Journal of University of Zakho, 5(1), 25–27. https://doi.org/10.25271/2017.5.1.295
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Copyright (c) 2017 Ahmad Y. Jameel, Araz R. Issa, Kaveen S.Kh. Amidy, Wijdan M. S. Mero, Mohammed A. Sabri, Mohammed A. Khdihir
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