Epidemiological study of Hymenolepis nana in children in Kalar city / Sulaimani province

Abstract

A total of 321 stool samples from children (169 males and 152 females) attending toKalar general hospital with complain of gastroenteritis were collected and tested. Microscopicexamination of samples revealed that an overall of 4.04% (13/321) of children were infectedwith H. nana. The frequency of H. nana infection in preschool (1 - <6 years) and school agechildren (6-12 years) was 0.92% and 5.63%, respectively. Non significant difference (P>0.05)was observed between frequency of infected children in both ages. The frequency of H. nanawas higher in males (5.32%) than in females (2.63%) but it was not significantly different(P>0.05). The highest frequency of H. nana infection was observed in school age children inboth city center (7.77%) and villages (4.71%). No significance correlation (P>0.05) wasobserved between H. nana infection and gender, sources of drinking water and differentlocalities of Kalar city. Significant difference (P<0.05) was observed between H. nanainfections in orphan children and children whose father's employees, laborer, farmer, or idle.H. nana infection was not observed in children whose mother's were employed.