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Schistosoma mansoni infection among prenatal attendees at a secondary‐care hospital in central Sudan
Author(s) -
Khalid Abelrahman,
Abdelgadir Mohamed A.,
Ashmaig Abellatif,
Ibrahim Abelrahman M.,
Ahmed AbdelAziz M.,
Adam Ishag
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2011.08.018
Subject(s) - medicine , schistosoma mansoni , hymenolepis nana , odds ratio , obstetrics , confidence interval , prenatal care , pregnancy , epidemiology , cross sectional study , population , immunology , schistosomiasis , ascaris lumbricoides , helminths , environmental health , genetics , pathology , biology
Objective To investigate the epidemiology of Schistosoma mansoni infection among pregnant women in a secondary‐care hospital in Geizera state, Sudan. Method Between August and September 2010, a cross‐sectional study was conducted and questionnaires were administered to obtain basic sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics of pregnant women attending prenatal care at Araba Waeshreen Hospital. Stool samples were investigated for helminth infection via formol–ether concentration and Kato–Katz techniques. Results Of 292 pregnant women, 38 (13.0%) had S. mansoni infections. Hymenolepis nana and hookworm infections were present in 5 (1.7%) and 1 (0.3%) women, respectively. The intensity of the S. mansoni infection was light, moderate, and high in 13 (34.2%), 21 (55.3%), and 4 (10.5%) women, respectively. In multivariate analyses, parity, gestational age, and occupation were not associated with S. mansoni infection, unlike maternal age less than 20 years (odds ratio [OR] 9.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5–16.3; P = 0.01) and no education (OR 6.2; 95% CI, 2.8–12.9; P < 0.001). Conclusion There was a high level of S. mansoni infection among pregnant women in the present setting, especially among younger women and those with no education. Control and preventive measures should be used in the area.