Intestinal parasitic co-infections associated with Helicobacter pylori among paediatric patients with gastrointestinal illness attending a general hospital in southern Ethiopia

• Published in: BMC pediatrics Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 545 - 11
• Main Authors: Aklilu, Addis, Woldemariam, Melat, Wanke, Edilu, Seid, Mohammed, Manilal, Aseer, Khan, Javed Masood, Akbar, Idhayadhulla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 23.08.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Analysis; Arba Minch; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Co-infections; Coinfection - epidemiology; Comorbidity; Confidence intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developing countries; Diagnosis; Diseases; Ethiopia - epidemiology; Feces - microbiology; Feces - parasitology; Female; Gastric cancer; Gastroenteritis; Gastrointestinal diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases - epidemiology; Gastrointestinal Diseases - microbiology; Gastrointestinal Diseases - parasitology; Health aspects; Helicobacter infections; Helicobacter Infections - complications; Helicobacter Infections - epidemiology; Helicobacter pylori; Helicobacter pylori - isolation & purification; Hospitals; Hospitals, General; Humans; Hygiene; Illnesses; Infant; Infection; Infections; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - epidemiology; LDCs; Low income groups; Male; Malnutrition; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Mortality; Paediatric patients; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Pediatrics; Population; Prevalence; Sample size; Sampling techniques; Sanitation; Social service; Systematic review; Ulcers; Ethiopia; Nigeria; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa; Co-infections; Paediatric patients; Gastroenteritis; Arba Minch
• ISSN: 1471-2431; 1471-2431
• DOI: 10.1186/s12887-024-05026-0

Concurrent infections or co-infections caused by intestinal parasites and Helicobacter pylori are quite rampant in paediatrics living in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, and if left untreated, can result in severe complications and hence must be addressed to ensure their health and well-being. To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic and H. pylori co-infections and associated factors among paediatric patients with gastrointestinal symptoms who attended the Arba Minch General Hospital (AMGH), Arba Minch, southern Ethiopia, from September to November 2020. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a study population of 299 paediatric patients with gastrointestinal symptoms who visited AMGH. Stool samples were collected and analysed to detect H. pylori and intestinal parasites. A rapid lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay was employed to identify the H. pylori copra antigen, whereas the latter was detected using wet mount saline preparation and formol-ether concentration method. Socio-demographic, clinical, behavioural and other factors were obtained by means of a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were done by Statistical Package for Social Service (SPSS) version 25; P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and intestinal parasites was 14% (n = 42) and 37.1% (n = 111), respectively, whereas that of the co-infections with these pathogens was 6.4% (n = 19). Giardia lamblia was the most prevailing parasite, 21.4% (n = 64). Informal maternal education [AOR = 5.14; 95% CI: 1.98-15.70] and lack of hand washing practice were significantly associated with the extent of co-infections [AOR = 4.18; 95% CI: 1.36-12.80]. Nearly one in twenty pediatric patients with gastrointestinal symptoms had intestinal parasitic infections and H. pylori co-infections, representing a silent health problem that is to be addressed through effective control strategies. Health administrators should consider the importance of co-infections in clinical diagnosis and planning aimed at its prevention.