Afro-Egypt J Infect  Endem  Dis  2017 March ; 7(1):28

 Intestinal Parasitic Infections and Iron Deficiency Anaemia among School Children in El Khalige Village, Dakhalia, Egypt                                   Ahmed M. Mahmoud¹, Mohieddin Abdul Fattah², Tarik I. Zaher¹,Sara A. Abdel-Rahman², Nahed Mosaad¹

¹Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt

²Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt

sarameram@yahoo.com

 

ABSTRACT

Background and study aim: Intestinal parasitic infection and iron deficiency anaemia are still nowadays, an important public health problem worldwide, mainly in developing countries. The present study aimed to study the relationships between intestinal parasitic infections and iron deficiency anaemia in school children 6-12yrs.

Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed among (102) school children at e EleKalige Village-Dakahlia. Children having signs or symptoms related to other causes of microcytic hypochromic anemia such as  thalassemia, diabetes mellitus, cancers, receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy were excluded from the study. Examination of blood and stool were done for all children. 

Results: The prevalence of parasitic infections was 37% of total 102 school children. Parasitic infection was subdivided into 3 major group; helminthes, protozoa and mixed infection. Overall, helminthes infection was more prevalent 22%   compared with both protozoa infection 8% and mixed infection 8%. Ancylostoma duodenale (9.8%), Hymenolepis nana and Giardia lamblia (7.8%), Strongyloides stercoralis (5.9%) Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptosporidium (3.9%) each and lastly, Enterobius vermicularis, T. trichura and Schistosoma mansoni with 2 cases each (1.9%). The parasitic infection was higher in females (52.6%) more than males (47.4%) insignificantly. Anemia was mild in infected group with Hb (Mean ± SD) 11.12±1.35 g/dl. 51% of selected children were anaemic. The prevalence of anemia was slightly highly non-significant prevalent among infected children (52.6%) compared with non infected (50%). Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) represents 88.5% of anemic cases in all children, 90% of anemic cases in the infected children and 87.5% of anemic cases in non infected children.

Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of parasitic infections among the children in the rural areas of Egypt and IDA is associated with intestinal parasitic infection.