1. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH) AND PREVALENCE OF SOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTHS (STH) IN COMMUNITIES UNDER MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION IN KEBBI STATE, NIGERIA.
1A S Oluwole, 2S Isiyaku, 2C Nwosu, 3A A Aliero, 1H.O., Mogaji, 2A William, 4E Elhassan, 1U F Ekpo 1 Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria;  2Sightsavers Kaduna, Nigeria, Nigeria;  3State Ministry of Health, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria; 4Sightsavers Regional office, Accra, Ghana 
ABSTRACT
Table 1: Water, sanitation and hygiene practices in the two intervention LGAs in Kebbi State
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) area complementary intervention for the control of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infection. This study assessed the status of WASH and prevalence of STH in communities under mass drug administration (MDA) in two local government area of Kebbi state, Nigeria. The LGAs were Bagudo LGA (Ivermectin MDA), and Zuru LGA (Ivermectin and Albendazole MDA). Stool samples were collected from 919 participants and screened for STH infection, followed by an assessment of household and community WASH using a questionnaire. The prevalence of STH was 41.89%in Zuru LGA and 3.39% in Bagudo LGA. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the prevalence of STH in the two LGAs. Prevalence of STH infection was 46(39.32%) in Zuru LGA for those practicing hand washing after using the toilet compared to 5 (1.90%) in Bagudo LGA. 432(85.38%) of the participants in Bagudo LGA had access to toilet facility in their homes compared to 383(92.74%)in Zuru LGA % participants from Zuru LGA practice open defecation, compared to 9.68% in Bagudo LGA. 355(85.96%) of the participants in Zuru LGA used the stream as their source of domestic water, whereas 493(97.43%) participants in Bagudo used protected well as their sources of domestic water. Participants from Bugudo LGA (50.59%)are aware of the morbid effect of drinking unsafe water compared to 25.18% in Zuru LGA.
WASH indicators
Bagudo LGA (IVM only)
(n=506)
N (%)
Zuru LGA (IVM+ALB)
(n=413)
Access to toilet facility
432(85.38)
383(92.74)
Washing of hands after using the toilet
263 (51.98)
117 (28.33)
Practice open defecation
49(9.68)
136(32.93)
Source of domestic water
(a) Pipe borne water
(b) River
(c) Protected well
(d) Stream
8 (1.58)
5(0.99)
493(97.43)
0(0)
1(0.24)
3(0.73)
46(11.11)
355(85.96)
Awareness of morbid effect of drinking unsafe water
256(50.59)
104(25.18)
Prevalence of STH
17(3.36)
173(41.89)
INTRODUCTION
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) aims to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene resources (Mogaji et al., 2016)
This strategy has been advocated as a complimentary intervention in the control of STH infections. (Echazú et al., 2015)
Soil transmitted helminths infections is endemic in Nigeria (Oluwole et al. 2015)
This study assessed the status of WASH and prevalence of STH in communities under mass drug administration (MDA) in two local government area of Kebbi state, Nigeria.
Table 2: WASH and prevalence of STH in the two intervention LGAs in Kebbi state
WASH indicators
Prevalence of STH
Bagudo LGA (IVM only)
(Total Number positive for STH =17)
Zuru LGA (IVM+ALB)
( Total Number positive for STH =173)
Access to toilet facility
11(64.70)
167(96.53)
Washing of hands after using the toilet
5 (29.41)
46 (33.53)
Practice open defecation
6(35.29)
58(95.95)
Source of domestic water
(a) Pipe borne water
(b) River
(c) Protected well
(d) Stream
0 (0)
0(0)
17(100)
1(0.57)
25(14.45)
146(84.39)
Awareness of morbid effect of drinking unsafe water
9(52.4)
47(27.17)
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Kebbi state
MDA LGAs
Bagudo LGA
IVM only
Zuru LGA
IVM+ALB
Faecal samples were collected from consented participants and screened for STH infections in the two LGAs.
Questionnaire was used to assess household and community WASH facilities, including access and usage.
REFERENCES
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Echazú, A, Bonanno, D., Juarez, M., Cajal, S.P., et al., (2015) Effect of Poor Access to Water and Sanitation as Risk Factors for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection: Selectiveness by the Infective Route. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 9(9): e doi: /journal.pntd
Mogaji, HO., Adeaga, DO., Yusuff, QA ., Johnson, ME., Ekpo, UF. (2016)Preliminary Evaluation of UNICEF's Assisted Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programme Using Interview Guides and Spot Checks in Ogun State, Nigeria Annual Research & Review in Biology 9 (2), 1
Oluwole, AS., Ekpo, UF., Karagiannis-Voules, DA., Abe, EM., et al. (2015). Bayesian Geostatistical Model-Based Estimates of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection in Nigeria, Including Annual Deworming Requirements. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 9(4): e
A total of 919 participated in the study, 506 were from Bagudo (IVM only) while 413 were from Zuru LGA (IVM+ALB). The prevalence of STH was 41.89% in Zuru LGA and 3.36% in Bagudo LGA(Table 1). There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the prevalence of STH in the two LGAs.
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene practises in the two LGAs is shown in table 1. A Relationship between prevalence of STH and WASH is shown in table 2.
The low prevalence of STH in Bagudo LGA is sustainable by a fair WASH practice.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Financial support: Sightsavers, Kaduna, Nigeria.