Use of rivers' water, inadequate hygiene, and sanitation as exposure of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to urogenital schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Jalingo Local Government Area (LGA), Taraba State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water- and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in relation to socio-demographic status and risk factors of internally displaced persons in Jalingo Local Government Area (LGA) were determined. The nutritional status was also studied among infected individuals. Urine filtration and Kato-Katz techniques were used to examine urine and faecal samples, respectively. Urogenital schistosomiasis infection was found at a moderate level of 52 (17.6%), whereas a low level of ascariasis and hookworm infections were found at 48 (16.3%) and 8 (2.7%), respectively. People in Jauro Gbadi camp and in the age group between 41 and 50 years had significantly the highest infection with hookworm, 8 (8.2%) (χ2 = 16.70; p = 0.000) and 2 (11.7%)(χ2 = 17.59, p = 0.003), respectively. Farmers were significantly infected with urogenital schistosomiasis (20.1%) (χ2 = 14.03; p = 0.043). Fishing in rivers exposed more individuals to urogenital schistosomiasis with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 8.60 (95% CI: 0.86–85.52; p = 0.046). The lack of hygienic measures exposed more individuals who ‘don't wash their hands before eating’ to soil-transmitted helminthiasis with an aOR = 4.13 (95% CI: 0.77–21.99; p = 0.045). In sanitation, individuals who ‘don't use pit latrines and do use the bush for defaecating’ were exposed to soil-transmitted helminthiasis with an aOR = 2.14 (95% CI: 1.30–3.52; p = 0.002). Farmers were infected with urogenital schistosomiasis. People in the Jauro Gbadi camp and individuals between the age groups of 11 and 50 years had hookworm infection. Use of river water, inappropriate hygiene, and sanitation exposed individuals to infection.