Epidemiology of human intestinal parasites in Qwa-Qwa, South Africa.
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Date
1995
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Abstract
This study investigated the prevalences and intensity of
intestinal parasites and aspects of their epidemiology among
children in the Qwa-Qwa region of the eastern Free St~te. Faecal
samples of 1180 children differing socio-economic status from
nine schools at altitudes varying from 1660m to 2200m were
examined quantitatively by means of the formol-ether
sedimentation technique. Socio-economic, and demographic
characteristics for the communities served by the schools were
obtained from the literature and from a questionnaire.
The study showed that, the area supports a markedly low diversity
of parasite infections, and at lower intensities, than low altitude
areas such as the coastal plain of KwaZulu-Natal and
Eastern Cape, the Northern Province, Mpumalanga and the Western
Cape. The intestinal parasite fauna affecting children in Qwa-Qwa
is dominated by protozoans with only few helminths and no
hookworm or bilharzia.
The results indicated that factors which influence the
transmission of intestinal parasites in Qwa-Qwa appear to be
related primarily to social, economic and cultural aspects of the
peoples' lifestyles. Climatic factors were not found important.
There was a significant seasonal effect on the intensities of all
parasite infection, except two protozoans, Entamoeba coli and
Endolimax nana.
Water source, electricity, house-type and quality of meat were
found to be the important socio-economic factors that influenced
parasite transmission. These relationships were investigated by
fitting logistic regression and generalized linear mixed models.
By documenting human parasitism (above 1700m) this study provided
an endpoint to the altitudinal transect conducted in 1993 in
KwaZulu-Natal by Appleton and Gouws (in press). Public health
authorities and Primary Health Care personnel should find this
study useful when designing and implementing nutrition and
parasite control. Severe ascariasis has been reported from the
study area. It will help focus PHC activities in Qwa-Qwa and in
the wider context of Free State Province by demonstrating the
value of proper personal and environmental hygiene in the home,
thereby forming the basis for intestinal parasite control at the
community level.
Description
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1995.
Keywords
Parasitic diseases--Free State--Qwaqwa--Epidemiology., Parasitic diseases--Environmental aspects--Free State--Qwaqwa., Intestines--Parasites., Helminths., Theses--Entomology.