Friday, 9 January 2026

Sharing Experience Regarding Screening of Intestinal Parasite by Laboratory and Ultrasonographic Analysis among Agricultural Workers in Rural Nigeria | Chapter 14 | Recent Updates in Disease and Health Research Vol. 7

 

Background: Parasite load (PL) is a measure of the number and virulence of the parasites that a host organism harbors, while quantitative parasitology deals with measures to quantify PL in samples of hosts and to make statistical comparisons of parasitism across host samples. An estimated 450 million people worldwide suffer from intestinal parasites (IP), which are organisms that live and struggle within their host for harm or symbiosis. The majority of these cases occur in developing nations, where they primarily affect schoolchildren, rural residents, and peasant farmers. Over 3 billion people are infected with IP globally. PL in our locality has not been assessed, or determined, and comparisons made based on biographic data of the peasant farmers.

Objective: The study was aimed at determining the PL of peasant farmers in Emekuku by Laboratory and Sonographic examinations.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design with a purposive non-probability sampling technique was used to select 126 subjects within the age group of 20 years to 90 years of both sexes. Stool specimens were collected, Wet preparation and Concentration Methods were used for laboratory investigation and comparisons were made. Sonography was used for the confirmation and characterization of IP. Data were analyzed with simple descriptive statistics and chi-square.

Results: Wet preparation technique recorded 10 (7.94%) positive cases while the Concentration method recorded 44 (34.92%) positive cases (P < 0.05). Ascaris lumbricoides amongst other IPs had the highest manifestation in the study, most prevalent in the age group 80 to 89 years,10 (62.5%) and more occurring in the female 10 (15.87%) and significant (P =0.039967). Sonographic indices for confirmation of IP were 4 (80.0%) out of 5. Sonography plays a complementary role to Laboratory investigation to confirm the presence of IP, location, and complications of the parasitic load.

Conclusion: Sonography complements the role of Laboratory stool analysis for the presence, characterization, location, and complications of IP such as Ascaris lumbricoides. Sonography complements the role of the Concentration method of Laboratory stool analysis better than the Wet Preparation method for the presence, characterization, location, and complications of IP such as Ascaris lumbricoides.

 

Author(s) Details :-

 

E. A. Odumeru
Department of Medical Imaging Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Remera Campus, Kigali, Rwanda.

C. B. Njoku
Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Imo State College of Health and Management Sciences, Amaigbo, Nigeria.

C. Enwuru
Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Imo State College of Health and Management Sciences, Amaigbo, Nigeria.

K. Agwunobi
Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Imo State College of Health and Management Sciences, Amaigbo, Nigeria.

M. Mukangendo
Department of Medical Imaging Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Remera Campus, Kigali, Rwanda.

I. Kayitesi
Department of Medical Imaging Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Remera Campus, Kigali, Rwanda

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/rudhr/v7/406

No comments:

Post a Comment