Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11000/31005

Anemia and undernutrition in intestinally parasitized schoolchildren from Gakenke district, Northern Province of Rwanda

Title:
Anemia and undernutrition in intestinally parasitized schoolchildren from Gakenke district, Northern Province of Rwanda
Authors:
Irisarri Gutiérrez, Maria José  
Acosta Soto, Lucrecia  
Parker, Lucy Anne  
Toledo, Rafael
Bornay Llinares, Fernando Jorge  
Esteban, José Guillermo
Muñoz-Antoli, Carla  
Editor:
PLoS ONE
Department:
Departamentos de la UMH::Agroquímica y Medio Ambiente
Issue Date:
2022-01
URI:
https://hdl.handle.net/11000/31005
Abstract:
Background: Rwanda is a sub-Saharan country, where intestinal parasite infections, anemia and undernutrition coexist. The purpose of this research is to study the relationship between intestinal parasite infections and undernutrition/anemia to clarify the priorities of intervention in the rural area of Gakenke district in the Northern Province of Rwanda. Materials and methods: A total of 674 students from Nemba I School, participated in a cross-sectional study, in which their parasitological and nutritional status were analysed. Statistical analysis was performed by χ2 test, univariate analysis and Odds ratios (OR). Results: A total of 95.3% of children presented intestinal parasitism, most of whom (94.5%) infected by protozoa and 36.1% infected by soil-transmitted helminths (STH), with Trichuris trichiura (27.3%) being the most prevalent. Multiple infections were found to be high (83.8%), with protozoa and STH co-infections in 30.6%. STH infections were mainly of low/moderate intensity. Neither infection nor STH infection of any intensity profile, was significantly related to anemia. In addition, STH infection, regardless of the intensity profile, was not associated with stunting, underweight or thinness. There was no difference between genders nor among ages in odds of anemia and nutritional status in STH-infected schoolchildren. Conclusion: Multiparasitism remains high among Rwandan schoolchildren and is likely to cause nutritional problems. This work emphasizes the importance of keeping up health programs to reduce the prevalence of infection.
Type of document:
application/pdf
Access rights:
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262361
Appears in Collections:
Artículos Agroquímica y Medio Ambiente



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