title: The health effects of wastewater on the prevalence of ascariasis among the children of the discharge zone of El Jadida, Morocco.
abstract: Proximity to wastewater constitutes an infection hazard by ascariasis. This is supported by the results of an epidemiologic study of a group of children living near an area of wastewater effluents. The subjects of this study were schoolchildren from Sidi Daoui, a neighborhood located in the area of the main effluent of the city of El Jadida, Morocco. For a comparative approach, a control group was selected from Sidi Moussa, a neighborhood far from the discharge area. The incidence of ascariasis was 18.1% in the study group (Sidi Daoui) and 1% in the control group (Sidi Moussa). It was found that 71% of the exposed children were suffering from acute parasitic infections. The risk attributable to wastewater in transmitting ascariasis to examined children in Sidi Daoui was about 17%. Boys, particularly those aged 7 - 10, appeared to be the most vulnerable to contracting ascariasis. This study demonstrates the relationship between ascariasis in children and their proximity to wastewater effluents.
authors: Biology Department, Faculty of Science Semlalia, University Caddi Ayyad, Marrakech, Morocco. lamghari@ucam.ac.ma
authors: Fatima-Zahra Lamghari
authors: FZ
authors: Moubarrad
authors: Omar
authors: O
authors: Assobhei
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid