Relationship between Water Use/Availability and Soil Transmitted Helminth Infections in Rural Communities South-Eastern, Nigeria

The relationship between water use/availability and soil-transmitted helminth infections among residents of rural communities in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, South-Eastern Nigeria, was investigated. Stool samples were collected from 2, 737 respondents in a study carried out between July and November, 2016. Stool samples were examined for presence of soil transmitted helminths using Formol-Ether concentration method. Data collected from stool samples were analysed using SPSS for Windows (version 16). Structured epidemiological questionnaires were administered to the residents to find out information on their water use and availability. Results showed that, 1, 477 (54.0 %) out of 2, 737 respondents were infected with at least one geohelminths infection. This result revealed that geohelminths infections occurred more where 40 litres of water was available (61.8 %) followed by where 80 litres was available (52.9 %) while the least were those households having more than 120 litres of water (46.1 %). Ascaris and Trichuris occurred more in household with only 40 litres of water available but Hookworm and Strongyloides occurred more in households where more than 120 litres of water is available. These differences were significant statistically. The distance of source of water is co-related with having geohelminths infections especially with those caused by Ascaris and Trichuris but not for Hookworm or Strongyloides. It was also observed that where water is fetched once a day had the highest prevalence rate 83.3 %, followed by twice daily 48.1 % and then thrice 43.7 %. However, it was Ascaris and Trichuris that were more prevalent among those household where water were fetched once or twice but not for Hookworm or Strongyloides. The study revealed a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections in the study area and this is co-related with water use and availability indicating the necessity of including provision of adequate and safe water to all the households as part of the control strategies.