Occurrence of the most common helminth infections among children in the Eastern Slovak Republic

Abstract

Objectives: Ascariasis, trichuriasis and hymenolepiasis occur primarily within poor communities with low hygiene standards. This study examined the occurrence of intestinal helminth infections among children living in two counties (Košice and Prešov) in the Eastern Slovak Republic.

Study design: Four hundred and twenty-six children were divided into groups according to ethnicity (non-Roma and Roma), age, sex, urban/rural residency and county of residence.

Methods: Stool samples collected from participants were processed by formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation and examined microscopically.

Results: The overall prevalence of infection was 16.90% and the most prevalent species was Ascaris lumbricoides (14.32%). This was followed by Trichuris trichiura (3.76%), Hymenolepis nana (0.94%) and Hymenolepis diminuta (0.23%). The odds ratio for infection was 52 times higher among Roma children compared with non-Roma children. Among Roma children, the lowest prevalence of infection was reported in adolescents aged ≥16 years. No significant differences in the prevalence of helminths were found between different sexes, or between hospitalized and non-hospitalized participants. Roma children living in urban areas had a 3.36 higher probability of infection than those living in rural areas. Among Roma children, helminth ova were found in 31.76% of the specimens from Košice County and 19.69% of the specimens from Prešov County. Among non-Roma children, there was only one positive finding in Prešov County, and no cases in Košice County.

Conclusions: Important risk factors associated with helminth infections are ethnicity, county of residence and urban/rural residency. Ascariasis, trichuriasis and hymenolepiasis still occur in children with low hygiene standards, and this needs to be addressed by local authorities.

Keywords: Children; Helminth infections; Public health; Rural and urban environment.