A Survey Of The Prevalence Of Intestinal Parasites In The Low Cost And High Cost Nursery Schools In Nairobi (kenya)

Abstract

A survey of prevalence of intestinal parasites in 500 nursery school children was done in Nairobi during the months of March and May 1982. 304 children were from the high cost nursery schools and 196 children were from low cost nursery schools. 283 (56%) of children did not have any parasite. In high cost nursery schools 213 (70%) did not have any parasite and in the low cost nursery schools 70 (36%) of children did not have parasites. The prevalence of Ascaris Lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Entamoeba coli in the low cost nursery schools were 28%, 15%, 23% respectively. The prevalence of these parasites in the high cost nursery schools were 5.6%, 3.0% and 9.2%. The difference in the prevalence of these parasites in the high cost and low cost nursery schools was significant. There was no differences in the prevalence of Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Chilomastix mensili, Endolimax nana, Hymenolepsis nana and' Iodomoeba butshilii in low cost and high cost nursery schools. Only four children of which one from high cost and three from low cost nurseryschool had hookworm. Only one child had Strongyloides stercoralis. All the children found with pathogenic parasites were treated.