A demographic survey on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites based on socioeconomic determinants in Pakistan

Shumaila Irum; Arbab Ahsan; Haroon Ahmed; Aisha Khan; Guan Yayi; Mudabbar Mehboob; Seyma Gunyakti Kilinc; Harun Kaya Kesik; Muhammad Sohail  Afzal; Shahzad  Ali; Majid Mehmood; Figen  Celik; Sami  Simsek

doi:10.3855/jidc.12032

A demographic survey on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites based on socioeconomic determinants in Pakistan

Authors

Shumaila Irum Department of Zoology, University of Gujrat, Pakistan
Arbab Ahsan Department of Zoology, University of Gujrat, Pakistan
Haroon Ahmed Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
Aisha Khan Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
Guan Yayi Department of Echinococcosis, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, WHO Collaborating Center of Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Researches on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
Mudabbar Mehboob Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Seyma Gunyakti Kilinc Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Firat, Elazig, Turkey
Harun Kaya Kesik Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bingol University, Bingol, Turkey
Muhammad Sohail Afzal Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore, Pakistan
Shahzad Ali Wildlife Epidemiology and Molecular Microbiology Laboratory (One Health Research Group), Discipline of Zoology, Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Ravi Campus, Pattoki 55300, Pakistan
Majid Mehmood Department of Zoology, The University of Poonch (UOP), Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Figen Celik Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Firat, Elazig, Turkey
Sami Simsek Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Firat, Elazig, Turkey

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.12032

Keywords:

Gastrointestinal parasites, protozoa, helminth, human, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction: The present study was conducted to investigate prevalence of intestinal parasites and the risk factors related to socio-demographic characteristics of patients admitted in pathology ward, General Hospital, Gujranwala.

Methodology: 318 stool samples were collected from patients and examined under light microscope by using wet mount technique. While socio-demographic information was collected in the form of a questionnaire.

Results: The results showed seven (n = 7) species of intestinal parasites were prevalent in stool samples of patients. Among them, four (n = 4) were helminth and three (n = 3) were protozoan parasites causing single and mixed infections. Overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 78.3% (n = 249/318) considering both male and female patients. Highest prevalence was recorded for A. lumbricoides (n = 125, 39.3%) followed by H. nana (n = 10, 3.1%), S. stercoralis and T. saginata (n = 6, 1.9%). Among protozoan parasites, higher prevalence was recorded in G. lamblia (n = 23, 7.2%) followed by E. histolytica (n = 21, 6.6%). Among single infections, the most prevalent parasite was A. lumbricoides and less prevalent parasites were S. stercoralis and T. saginata. The factors that had significant effect (p < 0.05) on prevalence of parasitic species were contaminated water, food, soil, and surrounding environment.

Conclusions: The present study determined that the parasite helminth (A. lumbricoides, H. nana, S. stercoralis, T. saginata) and protozoan (G. lamblia and E. histolytica) are common that pose an important public health concern in Pakistan.

Downloads

Published

2021-11-30

How to Cite

Irum S, Ahsan A, Ahmed H, Khan A, Yayi G, Mehboob M, Gunyakti Kilinc S, Kesik HK, Afzal MS, Ali S, Mehmood M, Celik F, Simsek S (2021) A demographic survey on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites based on socioeconomic determinants in Pakistan. J Infect Dev Ctries 15:1738–1743. doi: 10.3855/jidc.12032

Download Citation

Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 11: November 2021

Section

Original Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).