SOIL CONTAMINATION AND ECOLOGICAL RISK FACTORS OF GEOHELMINTHIASIS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN IFEDORE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ONDO STATE

Abstract

As at 2020, World Health Organization estimated that over 267 million pre-school children and over 568 million school aged children live in areas where geohelminths are intensively transmitted, and are in need of treatment and preventive interventions. Chronic and intense infection in children can adversely affect growth and cognitive development. The research investigated the soil contamination rate of geohelminths in public and private primary schools and determined the relationship between the occurrence of geohelminths in soil and some ecological factors in Ifedore LGA, Ondo State. 200g of soil samples were collected with a hand trowel at depth of 3cm. A total of 192 samples were collected in small black polythene bags. Extraction of geohelminth stages and evaluation of soil physicochemical parameters were carried out following standard procedures. Hookworm larvae (39.1%) had the highest occurrence of the total geohelminth stages recovered from the soil samples, followed by Ascaris ova (24.5%), Hookworm ova (17.8%), Strongyloides larvae (17.6%) and Trichuris ova (1%). Soil samples collected from public schools (52.9%) were more contaminated than samples from private schools (47.1%) due to the lower level of hygiene maintained. In relation to ecological factors, geohelminths had more occurrence during the rainy months (n = 416) than during the dry months (n = 290). Sandy soil recorded the highest number of geohelminths (n = 285) while clay soil recorded the least number of geohelminths (n = 88). The result of the correlation analysis showed that temperature had negative correlations with the occurrence of hookworm (r = -0.53) and Strongyloides larvae (r = -0.36), while conductivity had positive correlations with the occurrence of Ascaris (r = 0.28) and Hookworm ova (r = 0.34). It is evident that the soil properties and ecological factors played a significant role in the occurrence and abundance of geohelminths. Therefore, the existing control measures in primary schools need to be improved upon. With proper implementation, periodic school based deworming programs, standard Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) policy, sensitization campaigns and environmental modification of school premises will go a long way in controlling soil transmitted parasites.