PARASITIC INFECTIONS OF DRY SEASON FARMERS IN SOME PARTS OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

A parasitological survey was conducted among 1080 dry season farmers and controls spread over nine farming locations in the Jos and Barkin-Ladi areas of Plateau State, Nigeria, to provide data or parasitic infections in the area due to waste utilization. Standard laboratory procedures were adopted in the collection, processing and parasite identification in the stool samples. The rates of parasites infections in the farmers were 91.6% for helminthes and 86.4% for protozoa. Helminth infection rates but not those of protozoa, varied significantly between farmers and controls. Average infection rates were. Ancylostoma duodenale 91.9%. Ascaris lumbricoides 84.7%, Trichuris trichiura 74.2%, Strongyloides stercoralis 50.3%, Giardia lamblia 13.3%, Entamoeba coli 28.4%, Chilomastix mesnili 15.4%, Endolimax nana 17.3%, Isospora belli 6.3% and Lodoamoeba butshkii 11.5%.

More males than females were infected. The rates of infection varied among farmers in the different locations, but younger farmers had higher prevalences. Significant correlations between infections and their symptoms were observed with diarrhoea and abdominal pains being most common.


(Af. J. of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology: 2002 3(2): 104-110)