Prevalence Of Intestinal Helminthasis In Enugu Metropolis -

PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL HELMINTHASIS IN ENUGU METROPOLIS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE STUDY

Worm infestation has been a problem for quite a long time. The world’s worm distribution is nearly always constant irrespective of man’s ingenuity and control attempts. It is logical to assume that worms in particular and parasite in general have been with man since dawn of history in most of the developing parts of the world, it is recognized that more than half the population is chronically infected with one or more species of these parasitic worms (Palowiska 1981). Observed that the level of worm infestation in the advanced communities is generally at low level compared with that of third world and he attributed this to improper sewage treatment and poor sanitation.

Stroll (1947), confirmed this in his paper titled this wormly world. The most common of the parasitic worms that infect the human intestines are the;

Roundworms       –        ascaris spp

Hookworms         –        ancylstoma duodenale and nelator spp

Whipworms         –        trichuris trichuria and

Pinworms             –        enterobuuis reroncularis

The presence of these various types of worms in large numbers coupled with the poor hominy habit of large segments of the world population has made the control of these worms difficult and the eradication nearly impossible.

Helminthes is of Greek origin meaning worms. These helminthes are under the phyla platy helminthes (flat worms) lack a true body cavity (acelomate) and are characteristically flat in dose ventral section. All medically important species belong to the classes listed (tape worm) and trematoda (fludes) and nemathelmentes, worm – like separate – sexed, unsegmented round worms include many parasite species that infected human (Heyneman 2004).

Helminthes was defined by “Mayo clinie family book” (A medical encyclopedia text book) as large parasites and it is applied to a few phyla of animal all of which superficially resemble one another in being “worm like”. They are diverse in boddy structure, respiratory, physiology and behaviour. They are also diverse in life cycle, orgnisation etc. this diversity is as a result of the phylogenentic complexity of the group, while another is as a result their multiple specific adaptation of helminthes.

        In the theory concerning the origin of parasitism, it was assumed that at the beginning of the world, many different phylogenetic group of animal appeared and spread through the ecological and physiological environment  (Muonese 2004). The body of some of this group of animal formed a hoing place for a few others, which were capable of adapting themselves successfully. The, most successful group being protozoa, helminthes and some arthropods, these constitute the important group of parasite known today. The pathogenic helminthes are regards as permanent parasites; they tend to remain in the body until either ales of some immunizing process or treatment removed then. The pathogenic helminthes live at the expense of the tissue and fluid of the host.

Note: Helminthes is a disease condition due to “Helminthes infections”

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Heliminthiasis, has created enormous problems in tropical African countries, apart from economic important both in our domestic animal and control strategies, man suffers great threat resulting from helminthiasis. It causes problem in the country such as diarrhea, anaemia, and loss of weight,   -

 (A CASE STUDY OF PARKLANE HOSPITAL)