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Background  Intestinal helminth infections are major parasitic diseases causing public health problems in Ethiopia. Although the epidemiology of these infections are well documented in Ethiopia, new transmission foci for schistosomiasis are being reported in different parts of the country. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of  Schistosoma mansoni  and other intestinal helminth infections among school children and determine the endemicity of schistosomiasis in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia.    Methods  Cross-sectional parasitological and malacological surveys were conducted by collecting stool samples for microscopic examination and snails for intermediate host identification. Stool samples were collected from 503 children and processed for microscopic examination using Kato-Katz and formalin-ether concentration methods. Snails collected from aquatic environments in the study area were identified to species level and  Biomphalaria pfeifferi  snails, the intermediate host of  S. mansoni ,, were individually exposed to artificial light in order to induce cercariae shedding. Cercariae shed from snails were used to infect laboratory-bred Swiss albino mice in order to identify the schistosome to species level.    Results  The overall prevalence of intestinal helminth infections was 72.2% among school children.  S. mansoni  infection prevalence was 58.6%. The prevalence and intensity of  S. mansoni  infections varied among schools and sex of children. Swimming was the only factor reported to be significantly associated with  S. mansoni  infection (AOR = 2.954, 95% CI:1.962-4.449). Other intestinal helminth species identified were hookworms (27.6%),  Ascaris lumbricoides  (8.7%),  E. vermicularis  (2.8%),  Taenia  species (2.6%),  T. trichiura  (1.2%)  and H. nana  (0.6%). Only  B. pfeifferi  snails collected from streams shed schistosome cercariae and 792 adult  S. mansoni  worms were harvested from mice exposed to cercariae shed from  B. pfeifferi  on the 6th week post-exposure.    Conclusion  The present study found high level of intestinal helminth infections in the study area. The study also confirmed autochthonous transmission and endemicity of  S. mansoni  as evidenced by both parasitological and malacological findings as well as by further establishing infections in lab-bred mice. Therefore, there is a need to include the area in the control programs with anti-helminth drugs and also consider other complementary measures including sanitation, provision of clean water supply, and snail control.

Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia