Effects of Soil- Transmitted Helminths and Schistosoma Species on Nutritional Status of Children in Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Kenya

Aim: Soil- transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomiasis are a major public health problem in Kenya as well as in many other tropical countries. Intestinal parasite infections have been associated with malabsorption and nutrient loses that can lead to malnutrition. Malnutrition is considered one of the most prevalent conditions among children in rural population. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of STH and S. mansoni parasite infections on nutritional status of school children in Mwea rice Irrigation Scheme.

Study Design: The study was descriptive cross-sectional in design.

Methodology: The study was carried out in selected schools within Mwea Irrigation Scheme. The sample size comprised 236 children at the baseline with 78 pupils from Kandongu, 89 from Kirogo and 69 from Nyangati primary schools. A sub-sample of 103 pupils was randomly selected from the sample population and used to assess the prevalence of anaemia. A sub-sample was necessary in this case due to economic and logistic problems.

Results: Overall prevalence rate of geohelminths and Schistosoma infections was found to be 26%. There was a strong relationship between infection and malnutrition with the number of pupils infected and underweight being 59% compared to17.9% of non infected underweight. Helminth infections were also associated with anaemia, with 65.7% of anaemic cases suffering from various types of helminth infections.

Conclusion: The study has indicated that intestinal helminth infections, including soil transmitted helminths and Schistosoma mansoni cause malnutrition and anaemia among the school children in Mwea Irrigation Scheme, having been associated with severe, moderate to mild malnutrition as well as anaemia.