November 2016 Vol.4 No.5

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Original Research Article

Risk factors for the prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica in children aged under five years in a slum settlement in Nairobi, Kenya

Dr. Moses M. Ngeiywa and Georgina Adongo Odityo

University of Eldoret, School of Science, P. O. Box 1125, Postal code 30100, Eldoret

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: mngeiywa@yahoo.com/georginaodityo@gmail.com

Accepted November 7, 2016

Abstract

The occurrence of Entamoeba histolytica as a human intestinal parasite causing amoebiasis is a serious problem especially in developing countries. E. histolytica frequently infests as a commensal within the human large intestines with no overt clinical manifestations. Infection with E. histolytica results in 34-50 million symptomatic cases of amoebiasis worldwide each year, causing 100,000 deaths annually. Amoebic infections observed in slum settlements in Kenya such as Mukuru Kwa Reuben are common. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of E. histolytica in children aged less than 5 years who were experiencing diarrhea and establish the relationship between the prevalence and demographics and some socio-economic risk factors which were obtained by oral interviews of their parents/guardians. The stool from the children was examined microscopically for cysts and/or trophozoites of E. histolytica using formal ether concentration technique and the data was tested by chi-square and ANOVA. The results showed that the overall prevalence of E. histolytica infections amongst the children was 24.3%. A significant association was found between E. histolytica prevalence and age (P=0.01) with higher levels being observed in children aged 33 – 43 months. There was also a significant association between prevalence and gender (P=0.048) with males having higher rates. However, no significant association was found between the prevalence and types of toilet used (P=0.492), washing of hands after defecation (P=0.845), types of water storage containers (P=0.745), presence of contaminants around water sources (p = 0,893) and boiling of drinking water (P=0.855). In this study there was a clear indication that E. histolytica infections was a problem in children less than 5 years and that oral interview is not a reliable technique for obtaining socio-economic information of relevance to E. histolytica infections risk. It was therefore recommended that more emphasis should be directed to the male child and all the children aged 33-43 months by prompt diagnosis, treatment and monitoring their hygiene and health behaviors since they are more prone to the infection. It was also recommended that better techniques should be used to obtain reliable socio-economic data.

Keywords: Entamoeba, risk, prevalence, children, slum settlements