Is intestinal parasitic infection still a public health concern among Saudi children?
OBJECTIVE
To determine the possible health risk associated with intestinal parasite infections among children with gastroenteritis in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study was undertaken between March and August 2007 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to detect the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in children aged 0-10 years. Two major public hospitals took part in the study. These hospitals are King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), and King Fahad Hospital (KFH). The study involved examination of fecal samples from 500 children (24 inpatients and 476 outpatients) complaining of gastroenteritis. The samples were concentrated by formol-ethyl acetate concentration method, and microscopically examined with iodine and Ziehl Neelsen staining methods.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 33.8%. The intestinal parasites identified in both inpatients and outpatients were Blastocystis hominis 0% inpatient, 9.5% outpatient, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (8.3% inpatient, 5.9% outpatient), Giardia lamblia (12.5% inpatient, 2.7% outpatient), Cryptosporidium spp (8.3% inpatient, 2.3% outpatient), Ascaris lumbricoides (0% inpatient, 0.4% outpatient), hookworm (4.2% inpatient, 0.8% outpatient), and Trichuris trichiura (4.2% inpatient, 1.05% outpatient).


CONCLUSIONS
Intestinal parasitic infection is still a common health problem among children in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Braiken
Faten A
FA
Department of Medical Parasitology, College of medicine, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 6903, Jeddah 21452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. albraikanfaten@hotmail.com
D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology