English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Background  Malaria and intestinal helminths co-infection are major public health problems particularly among school age children in Nigeria. However the magnitude and possible interactions of these infections remain poorly understood. This study determined the prevalence, impact and possible interaction of  Plasmodium falciparum  and intestinal helminths co-infection among school children in rural communities of Kwara State, Nigeria.    Methods  Blood, urine and stool samples were collected from 1017 primary school pupils of ages 4–15 years. Stool samples were processed using both Kato-Katz and formol-ether concentration techniques and microscopically examined for intestinal helminths infection. Urine samples were analyzed using sedimentation method for  Schistosoma haematobium .  Plasmodium falciparum  was confirmed by microscopy using thick and thin blood films methods and packed cell volume (PCV) was determined using hematocrit reader. Univariate analysis and chi-square statistical tests were used to analyze the data.    Results  Overall, 61.2% of all school children had at least an infection of either  P .  falciparum ,  S .  haematobium , or intestinal helminth.  S .  haematobium  accounted for the largest proportion (44.4%) of a single infection followed by  P .  falciparum  (20.6%). The prevalence of malaria and helminth co-infection in the study was 14.4%. Four species of intestinal helminths were recovered from the stool samples and these were hookworm (22.5%),  Hymenolepis  species (9.8%),  Schistosoma mansoni  (2.9%) and  Enterobius vermicularis  (0.6%). The mean densities of  P .  falciparum  in children co-infected with  S .  haematobium  and hookworm were higher compared to those infected with  P .  falciparum  only though not statistically significant (p = 0.062). The age distribution of both  S .  haematobium  (p = 0.049) and hookworm (p = 0.034) infected children were statistically significant with the older age group (10–15 years) recording the highest prevalence of 47.2% and 25% respectively. Children who were infected with  S .  haematobium  (RR = 1.3) and hookworm (RR = 1.4) have equal chances of being infected with  P .  falciparum  as children with no worm infection. On the other hand children infected with  Hymenolepis spp . (p<0.0001) are more likely to be infected with  P .  falciparum  than  Hymenolepis spp . uninfected children (RR = 2.0)    Conclusions  These findings suggest that multiple parasitic infections are common in school age children in rural communities of Kwara State Nigeria. The  Hymenolepis  spp. induced increase susceptibility to  P .  falciparum  could have important consequences on how concurrent infections affect the expression or pathogenesis of these infections.

Co-endemicity of Plasmodium falciparum and Intestinal Helminths Infection in School Age Children in Rural Communities of Kwara State Nigeria