SOIL CONTAMINATION AND WASH CONDITIONS AS INDICATORS OF GEOHELMINTHIASES TRANSMISSION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Geohelminthiases or Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) refers to a group of diseases caused by soil-borne helminths. The latest estimates shows that 35·0 million children aged 5–14 years were infected with at least one STH species, and an estimated 2·9 million still harbouring moderate-to heavy infections. Eliminating soil-transmitted helminthiasis is a public health challenge in children, mostly associated with behavioural or cultural practices in endemic communities. This study assessed soil contamination with geohelminths in eighteen (18) primary schools, consisting of nine (9) public and nine (9) private schools in Ile Oluji/Oke Igbo Local Government Area of Ondo State as a proxy of geohelminthiases. The primary schools were randomly selected by balloting of which a total of 162 soil samples were collected. Floatation technique using saturated sodium chloride (NaCl) brine solution was used for the isolation and concentration of geohelminth eggs while Baermann Culture Technique was used for the extraction of the soil nematodes. Data on compliance to WASH indicators was collected using structured questionnaires. Regression analysis was used to measure the strength of association between the Total Parasite Count (TPC) and the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) indicators while independent two sample T-test was used to establish the difference between soil contaminations in private and public schools. 95% confidence limit was used setting α at 0.05. All data were analysed using Microsoft Excel 2019 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 23.0. Of 162 soil samples collected, 89 (54.93%) were contaminated with ova or larvae of one or more parasites and the TPC was 925. The most occurring geohelminths were hookworm larvae (97.19%), others were ova of Ascaris lumbricoides (1.95%), Strongyloides stercoralis larvae (0.65%) and hookworm ova (0.21%). Soil samples from toilet areas were the most contaminated with parasites, n = 33 (37.08%) while the playground and classroom had the same level of contamination of n = 28(31.46%). Though all the schools had access to one of the different sources of water, (borehole, streams, wells, and reservoirs), only 11 of the 18 schools had water on site, 6 (33.33%) of the schools had water in their toilets, one (5.56%) school had running water, and 6 (33.33%) schools practiced handwashing with soap and water. Though 17 (94.44%) out of the 18 schools had toilets, 72 (75%) out of the 96 toilets inspected were functional but not accessible to the pupils. From the study, the soil haboured developmental stages of STH implying that the pupils were predisposed to infection in school even when measures were taken at home to prevent such. Also, the level of sanitation in the private schools was much better than that of the public schools. For proper control to be established, open defaecation must be abolished at home and in schools. Cleaners need to be employed with the duty of ensuring the toilets are maintained clean, attractive, and accessible to the children when they need to use it. There is a need to enforce the WASH programme in schools and introduce it to the parents since a strong correlation exists between the TPC and the level of compliance to WASH.