Comparative study on intestinalparasitic infection in children of homeless community and private school in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Thesis Report.

Abstract: Present study was carried out in children of private school and homeless community to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection. Stool samples were collected from homeless community (PaurakhiBasti, Thapathali, Kathmandu) and private school (Sifal, ward no. 7, Kathmandu). This study specifies the correlation between parasitic infection and sanitary facilities, source of drinking water, public health awareness and others among these groups. The study was conducted from September 2014 to March 2015. Altogether 364 fecal samples were collected (178 from private school and 186 from homeless community). The samples were formalin fixed and transported to Armed Police Force Hospital laboratory, Satungal, Kathmandu, where processing of sample was carried out. The samples were examined using direct wet mount using normal saline and iodine solution before and after the samples had been concentrated by formalin-ether sedimentation technique. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was found to be 25.82%. Females were marginally more infected (26.34%) than males (25.38%). Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in private school children was (19.10%) but higher in children of homeless community (31.25%). Among positive stool samples, Entamoebahistolytica (30.85%) was most common followed by Giardia lamblia(28.72%), Ascarislumbricoides (22.34%), hookworm (8.51%), Hymenolepsis nana (5.31%), Trichuristrichiura (3.19%) and Entamoeba coli (1.06%).Children (2-6 years) were more infected (41.50%) than children (7-11 years) (26.81%) and least affected age group were (12-16 years) (10.83%). The rate of parasitic infection was found to be high among person having low socio economic status, lacking well sanitary practice, lacking public health awareness. Formal ether concentration technique was found superior to saline/iodine wet mount way of diagnosing intestinal parasites. Key words: Private School, Homeless Community, Intestinal Parasites, Kathmandu, Nepal.