Impact of Socioeconomic Conditions and Parasitic Infection on Hemoglobin Level among Children in Um-Unnasser Village, Gaza Strip

Aims: A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the impact of socioeconomic conditions and intestinal parasitic infection (IPI) on hemoglobin level among children aged 2-15 years in Um-Unnasser village, North Gaza, Palestine. Materials and Methods: The data were collected using structured questionnaire and laboratory analysis of blood and fecal samples. Results: Of 256 children, 25% were anemic and prevalence was higher in children aged below six years. Overall prevalence of IPI was 46.9%. Ascaris lumbricoides (11.3%), Giardia lamblia (8.2%), Hymenolepis nana (6.2%), Entamoeba histolytica (5.1%), Strongyloides stercoralis (2.0%), Enterobius vermicularis (2.7%), and Trichuris trichiura (0.3%) were the most frequently found, whereas 10.9% of children had multiple parasitic infection. An association was determined between some socioeconomic conditions and parasitic infection and anemia. These socioeconomic factors included age group of the studied children, father´s educational level and work status. Conclusions: It was found that children with double parasitic infection had lower hemoglobin level than those who had single parasitic infections except in cases of A. lumbricoides and G. lamblia.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Hemoglobin level, parasitic, socioeconomic conditions, children, anemia

Impact of Socioeconomic Conditions and Parasitic Infection on Hemoglobin Level among Children in Um-Unnasser Village, Gaza Strip

Keywords:

Hemoglobin level, parasitic, socioeconomic conditions, children, anemia,

PDF

___

Abed YA. An epidemiological study of the prevalence of intestinal parasites and their effect on Hb and growth and development in children of Jabalia village. MSC Dissertation, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 1979; 94 pp.
Alzain BF. Study on the statues of prevalence of parasitic infection, total protein and hemoglobin level among school children of diapers (India) and Gaza strip, Palestine. PhD Thesis submitted to Mohanlal Sukhadia University, India, 2000.
Abed YA. Risk factors associated with prevalence of anemia among Arab children in Gaza strip. A dissertation submitted to the Johns Hopkins University in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Public Health, 1993.
Beaton GH, Bengoa JM. Nutrition in preventive medicine: the major deficiency syndromes, epidemiology and approaches to control: edited by Geneva, World Health Organization, 1976. Nutritional anemia. Report of a WHO Scientific Group. Gerona, World Health Organization, 1968.
Shubair ME, Yassin MM, Al-Hindi A, Al-Wahaidi AA, Jadallah SY, Abu Shaaban N al-D. Intestinal parasites in relation to hemoglobin level and nutritional status of school children in Gaza. J Egypt Soc Parasitol 2000; 30(2): 365-75.
Curtale F, Nabil M, El Wakeel A, Shamy MY, and the Behera Survey Team. Anemia and intestinal parasitic infections among school children in Behera Governorate, Egypt. J Trop Pediatr 1998; 44: 323-8.
De Morais MB, Suzuki HU, Corral JN, Macgado NL, Neto U. Asymptomatic giardiasis does not affect iron absorption in children with iron deficiency anemia. J Am Coll Nutr 1996; 15: 434-8.
Stephenson LS, Latham MC, Ottesen EA. Malnutrition and parasitic helminth infections. Parasitology 2000; 121: S23-38.
Curtale F, Tilden R, Muhilal, Vaidya Y, Pokhrel RP, Guerra R. Intestinal helminths and risk of anemia among Nepalese children. Panminerva Med 1993; 35(3): 159-66.
Fraser D, Bilenko N, Deckelbaum RJ, Dagan R, El-On J, Naggan L. Giardia lamblia carriage in Israeli Bedouin infants: risk factors and consequences. Clin Infect Dis 2000; 30: 419-24.
Asta Z, l. Epidemiological survey of the prevalence of parasites among children in Kan Younis governorate, Palestine. Parasitology. Informatik. Uni- wuerg.de / login/n/h/j 2004; 436_ 004_1234-1. linked.
Mahmud MA, Chappell C, Hossain MM, Habib M, Dupont HL. Risk factors for development of first symptomatic Giardia infection among infants of a birth cohort in rural Egypt. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1995; 53: 84-8.
Al-Agha R, Teodoresc I. Intestinal parasites infestation and anemia in primary school children in Gaza governorate, Palestine. Roum Arch Microbial Immunol 2000; 59(1-2): 131-43.
Alzain B, Sharma PN. Survey of protozoan infection in school children in Udaipur (India) Gaza Strip (Palestine). J Parasitic Dis 1999; 23: 11-14.