Intestinal Amoebiasis and Risk Factors Associated with its Transmission Among Paediatric Patients Attending a Tertiary Health Care Facility in Northern India
Journal Title: National Journal of Laboratory Medicine - Year 2019, Vol 8, Issue 2
Abstract
ABSTRACT Introduction: The occurrence of Entamoeba histolytica as a human intestinal parasite is a serious problem especially in developing countries. Despite the high prevalence of amoebiasis in various parts of India, unfortunately there is paucity of information with regards to the prevalence of intestinal amoebiasis in children. Aim: To determine the prevalence of amoebiasis among children attending a tertiary care center in Lucknow and to study their socio-demographic profile. Materials and Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was carried out from January to June 2016, at Integral Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh, India. Systemic random sampling was done to collect 185 stool samples from children aged 0-14 years before the institutional treatment. The stool samples were examined for cysts/trophozoites of E. histolytica using saline and iodine preparations. Statistical study of the data was done using chi-square test. The p<0.05 was taken as significant. Results: A total of 31 of the 185 samples were positive, i.e., they contained cysts and/or trophozoites of E. histolytica. This study indicated that the prevalence of amoebiasis among children was 16.8% with an expected 95% confidence range of 11.4-22.2. Although, the number of males infected were more than the females, no significant association was found between prevalence and gender (χ²=0.52, p=0.819). Poor hygiene was significantly associated with the children suffering from intestinal amoebiasis (p=0.021). Significant association was also observed between lower socio-economic status and prevalence of E. histolytica among children. Conclusion: The present study showed that intestinal amoebiasis is a major public health problem in children particularly in younger age group. Proper and effective diagnostic techniques for the detection of Entamoeba histolytica and treatment of infected individuals should be encouraged and made available in hospitals and rural health centers.
Authors and Affiliations
Sana Jamali, Saher Khan, Mohd. Parvez
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP610031
- DOI 10.7860/NJLM/2019/41038:2342
- Views 102
- Downloads 0
Bilateral Synchronous Breast Carcinoma of Different Histomorphology- A Rare Case Report
Primary bilateral synchronous breast carcinomas are defined as those which have different histomorphological types of cancer in both breast and both appear simultaneously or few months apart. Invasive carcinoma, No Speci...
A Rare Case Report of Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia with Eosinophilia Arising in a Lipoma
Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia with Eosinophilia (ALHE) is a rare vascular disorder of controversial etiology, as to whether it is reactive or neoplastic. The usual site of occurrence is the head and neck area and sometimes i...
Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Clinical Isolates of Enterococci from Blood Samples in A Tertiary Care Hospital, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
Introduction: In recent years, enterococci have become important nosocomial pathogens. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics, prolonged hospital stay, severity of illness and immunosuppression are responsible for nosocomial...
Differentiating between Dengue Fever from Other Febrile Illnesses Using Haematological Parameters
Introduction: Dengue fever is the most common arthropod borne disease and major public health concerns in India. The clinical presentation of this disease is difficult to distinguish from other febrile illnesses like mal...
Comparison of Manual Liquid Based Cytology and Conventional Pap Smear in Cervical Cancer Screening
Introduction: Pap smear is a screening procedure to detect precancerous lesions to prevent subsequent invasive cervical cancer. Manual Liquid Based Cytology (MLBC) has been developed as an alternative to Conventional Pap...