PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL HELMINTHIC INFECTIONS AMONG UNDERFIVES AND KNOWLEDGE ON HELMINTHIASES AMONG MOTHERS OF THE UNDERFIVES IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of intestinal helminthic infections (IHIs) among underfives attending peadiatric clinics at Amana and Mwananyamala Hospitals in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and assess the knowledge on IHIs among mothers of the underfives.
Methods: A cross sectional study with the use of 4537 checklists of clinical histories dated 2003-2004 and face to face interview with 100 mothers of underfives infected with helminths was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A simple convenient sampling method was used to select two hospitals whereby 50 mothers from each hospital participated. Semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection, which focused on knowledge of IHIs, control measures, treatment and diagnosis.
Results: Prevalence of IHIs at Mwananyamala hospital was 46.54% for Ascaris, 37.48% for hookworm and 15.98% for Trichuris infections. For Amana hospital the prevalence was 40.50% for Ascaris, 41.83% for hookworm and 17.68% for Trichuris infections. The overall prevalence of IHIs in both hospitals for 2003-2004 was comparable in male (48%) and female (52%) underfives (p<0.05). Results also revealed that 66% of mothers had no knowledge on IHIs prevention, and 40% of the interviewees were incapable of naming any anthelminthic. About 82% of the respondents were unable to describe even a single helminth, and a significant number of them (92%) did not routinely carry out deworming process (p<0.001). Results also revealed that 80% of the underfives were accidentally diagnosed with IHIs while visiting clinics for other health problems, and 10% of the underfives were undiagnosed until they started passing worms in faeces or vomits.
Conclusions: Ignorance on possible preventive measures and lack of knowledge on IHIs attributed to poor visits to clinics among the studied subjects and to high prevalence of IHIs in the two studied districts. IHI is still a public health problem in Dare es Salaam that seems to be neglected.