Prevalence of Helminths Ova in Faeces of Patients Attending State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

A prevalence study was carried out among patients attending the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria, with a view to determinining the intestinal helminthes infection using direct stool smear and formol ether concentration techniques. The study revealed an overall prevalence of 7(7.0%) with hookworm infection constituting (6.0%) and taenid ova1 (1.0%). Three (3.0%) male patients were infected with hookworm and 1 (1.0%) with taenid ova while 3(3.0%) females had hookworm and no taenid ova. 2(2.0%) young patients had hookworm and 1 (1.0%) taenid ova whereas 4(4.0%) adults had hookworm with no taenid ova. The helminths identified could be of great medical and economic importance. Their relevance as it relates to health of individuals as well as methods of controlling them are discussed