Prevalence and Risk Factors of Entamoeba histolytica Infection among Children Attending Selected Hospitals in Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract

Amoebiasis, caused by the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, remains a major health challenge in developing countries like Nigeria, particularly among children, where poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene facilitate its transmission. This study investigated the prevalence of E. histolytica infection among children between the ages of 0 and 12 years old attending some selected hospitals in Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in which 138 stool samples were collected from children attending four selected hospitals: General Hospital Kawo (GHK), Ashmed Specialist Hospital (ASH), Garkuwa Specialist Hospital (GSH) and FOMWAN Maternity Hospital (FMH). Stool samples were examined using iodine wet mounted and examined by a light microscope for the presence of E. histolytica cysts and trophozoites. Data were analyzed using Chi-square statistics on SPSS version 20. The results revealed an overall prevalence of 48.0% (42/138). The highest occurrence was observed in General Hospital Kawo (18.5%), followed by Garkuwa Specialist Hospital (17.0%), Ashmed Specialist Hospital (7.5%), and FOMWAN Maternity Hospital (5.0%). Male children had a higher infection rate (28.0%) compared with females (20.0%). Age-related prevalence showed that children between the ages of 1–4 years old were the most infected (20.0%), followed by those aged 9–12 years old (13.5%) and then 5–8 years old (8.5%). The high prevalence observed indicates that amoebiasis remains endemic in the study area. Improved sanitation, health education, safe water supply, and routine screening are recommended to reduce infection among children.