title: Helminthiasis: Hookworm Infection Remains a Public Health Problem in Dera District, South Gondar, Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intestinal parasitic infections are significant cause of morbidity and mortality in endemic countries. In Ethiopia, helminthiasis was the third leading cause of outpatient visits. Despite the health extension program was launched to address this problem, there is limited information on the burden of intestinal parasites after implementation of the program in our setting. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the intestinal helminthic infections among clients attending at Anbesame health center, South Gondar, Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study was conducted at Anbesame health center from March to June 2015. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 464 study participants selected consecutively. Stool specimen collection, processing through formol-ether concentration technique and microscopic examination for presence of parasites were carried out. Data were entered, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS Version 20.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the total 464 study participants with median (±IQR) age of 25.0 (±21.75) years, 262 (56.5%) were females. Helminthic infection was found in 97 (20.9%) participants. Hookworm (68 [14.7%]) was the predominant parasite followed by S. mansoni (11 [2.4%]), E. vermicularis (9 [1.9%]) and S. stercoralis (5 [1.1%]). Patients with age group ≥15 years (AOR: 5.26; 95% CI: 2.05-13.46; P: 0.001) and walking barefoot (AOR: 2.20; 95% CI: 1.08-4.48; P: 0.031) were more vulnerable from the hookworm infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a high burden of hookworm infections in our setting. Hence, regular shoes wearing, considering all age groups in the albendazole deworming as mass treatment and environmental hygiene are important interventions to reduce the burden of such neglected tropical disease.
authors.affiliation: Bahir Dar Regional Health Research Laboratory Center, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Melashu Balew
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Shiferaw
authors.affiliation: Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Agmas Dessalegn
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Mengistu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000723:Ancylostomatoidea / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole