Intestinal Parasitic Infection with Nutritional Status among Orphan Children in three cities of Nepal: Prevalence and Associated risk factors

Abstract

Introduction: Intestinal parasitosis and malnutrition are common health problems among children in developing countries like Nepal. The aim is to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites along with nutritional status in orphan children and find out its risk factors.

Methods: National Institute of Tropical Medicine and Public Health Research Laboratory, Kathmandu, Nepal had approved this research. Cross sectional study was conducted from January to June, 2014. Stool samples were collected in clean wide mouthed plastic container from ≤ 15 year’s children of different orphanages in Chitwan, Kaski and Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Sociodemographic information was collected using a structured questionnaire. Formalin-ether-sedimentation technique was done for detection of cyst and eggs of parasites. For nutritional status, anthropometric measurements were taken at the time of interview.

Results: In total of 309 orphan children (male: 167, female: 142), 20.3% (63/309) had some kinds of cysts or eggs of parasites. Altogether six different parasites were detected; in which infection rate of Entamoeba coli was highest 5.2% (16/309), followed by Giardia lamblia 3.6% (11/309), Entamoeba histolytica 3.6% (11/309), Trichuris trichiura 2.9% (9/309), Hymenolepis nana 2.3% (7/309) and Ascaris lumbricoides 1.2% (4/309). 1.6% had multiparasites. The prevalence of malnutrition was found to be 16.1% (50/309). Among those malnutrited children, infection rate of parasites in obesity and thinness children were found 31.3% (5/16), and 25.8% (8/31) respectively.

Conclusion: Intestinal parasites and malnutrition are associated each other in orphan children with its risk factor like age, sex and other behavioral activities. Prevalence of protozoa was found higher than helminthes. Obesity was predominance in malnutrition children.