title: Prevalence and its associated risk factors of intestinal parasitic infections among Yadot primary school children of South Eastern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intestinal parasitic infections are posing significant morbidity worldwide. In Ethiopia, due to poor socio-economic status, intestinal parasitic infections are highly prevalent. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites and its associated risk factors among Yadot primary school children which is found in South-Eastern part of Ethiopia, in the district called Delo-Mena.
  
  
  METHODS
  Institution based cross-sectional study was employed from March to April 2013. In this study, a total of 340 students were selected using simple random sampling, and data on socio-demographic characteristics and factors associated with the prevalence of intestinal parasites as well as stool samples were collected and processed accordingly. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 16, and binary and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to measure the strength of association between dependent and independent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 26.2%. Poly-parasitism was detected in 6.2% of the students. Consistently, students who were infected with single, double, triple and quadruple parasites were 20%, 4.7%, 1.2% and 0.3% respectively. In line with this, the most prevalent parasites were Schistosoma mansoni 12.6%, followed by Entamoeba histolytica/dispar 5%, Ascaris lumbricoides 4.7%, and Hymenolepis nana 4.4%. Regarding the risk factors for the infections, not knowing why they wash their hands before meal [(AOR=0.20, 95% CI=0.10-0.40), p<0.001], water contact activities [(AOR=2.28, 95% CI=1.19-4.34), p=0.012], not wearing protective shoe [(AOR=0.27, 95% CI=0.15-0.51), p<0.001] were factors significantly associated with intestinal parasitic infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intestinal parasitic infections were found to be highly prevalent among Yadot primary school children. Hence, health education, improving sanitation, provision of safe drinking water, increasing latrine use, snail control and deworming to the students are crucial.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P, O, Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. begna.tulu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Begna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tulu
authors.forename: Solomon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taye
authors.forename: Eden
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amsalu
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors