Department of Medical Laboratory Science

URI for this collectionhttps://rps.wku.edu.et/handle/123456789/45812

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CO-INFECTION OF ENTERIC PROTOZOA AND BACTERIA, AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG UNDER-FIVE DIARRHEIC CHILDREN VISITING WORABE HOSPITAL, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA
(Wolkite University, 2025-01-30) ABDIRSEMED BEDEWI
Background: Diarrheal diseases remain a leading cause of illness and death among childrenunder five in developing countries, including Ethiopia. Enteric pathogens such as Giardialamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Salmonella, and Shigella spp. are common causes of childhooddiarrhea in these regions. However, data on their sources and co-infection patterns were limited. Objective: This study aimed to assess the co-infection rates of enteric protozoa and bacteria andidentify associated risk factors in children under five presenting with diarrhea at WorabeHospital, central Ethiopia. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2024. Stool sampleswere collected from 250 children under five with diarrhea and analyzed using parasitologicaland bacteriological techniques to detect the presence of pathogens. Results: Out of 250 stool samples analyzed, 72 (28.7%) tested infected for intestinal protozoa,and 33 (13.2%) were infected for enteropathogenic bacteria. Co-infections were identified in 20cases (8.0%). The most frequent co-infections included G. lamblia with Salmonella spp. (2.8%),G. lamblia with Shigella spp. (2.0%), E. histolytica/dispar with Shigella spp. (2.4%), and E.histolytica/dispar with Salmonella spp. (0.8%). Factors significantly associated with co-infectionincluded large family size (p=0.042), guardians with untrimmed fingernails (p=0.013), notwashing vegetables before feeding children (p=0.003), guardians not washing hands beforefeeding children (p=0.02), presence of domestic animals in the house (p=0.017), lack of a homelatrine (p=0.001), and use of unprotected drinking water (p=0.004). Conclusions and Recommendations: The study highlights that intestinal protozoa and entericbacteria, as well as co-infections, are major contributors to diarrhea in children. Key riskfactors include poor personal hygiene, untrimmed fingernails, and inadequate environmentalsanitation. It is recommended that public health efforts focus on raising awareness aboutpersonal and environmental hygiene to reduce the burden of diarrheal diseases.
MAGNITUDE OF MALARIA, ASSOCIATED FACTORS, AND ITS EFFECTS ON COAGULATION AND HEMATOLOGICAL PROFILES AMONG ADULT PATIENTS AT WOLKITE UNIVERSITY SPECIALIZED TEACHING HOSPITAL, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
(Wolkite University, 2025-01-30) ABEBE MINUTA
Background: Malaria remains a significant global health issue, affecting hematologicaland coagulation profiles. Though there have been many studies on the magnitude ofmalaria and its associated factors worldwide, studies are limited in this study area.Objective: To assess the prevalence of malaria associated factors, and its effects oncoagulation and hematological profiles among adult patients at Wolkite UniversitySpecialized Teaching Hospital from February to April 2024.Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 286 malaria suspected patients wasconducted using a consecutive sampling technique. Data on sociodemographic, clinicalhistory were collected using a structured questionnaire. Coagulation profile analysisusing Urit 610 coagulometer, hematology profile analysis using a Zybio Z30 hematologyanalyzer, and blood film microscopy. Data was entered into EpiData 3.1 and transferredto SPSS version 26 for analysis. Binary logistic regression, the Mann-Whitney U test, andreceiver operating characteristic were employed to analyze the data. Statisticalsignificance was set at a p-value of less than or equal to 0.05.Results: The prevalence of malaria was 41 (14.3%). Risk factors included a history ofmalaria (AOR = 3.724, 95% CI: 1.316-10.537), stagnant water near homes (AOR =4.118, 95% CI: 1.801-9.413), and nighttime outdoor exposure (AOR = 4.505, 95% CI:1.677-12.106). Travel history (AOR = 3.365, 95% CI: 1.238-9.146) increased infectionrisk, while insecticide-treated net use was significantly protective (AOR = 6.208, 95%CI: 2.380-16.191). Malaria-infected patients exhibited prolonged prothrombin time andactivated partial thromboplastic time compared to non-infected. White blood cell counts,neutrophils, and monocytes were elevated. Red blood cells, and hemoglobin, plateletswere decreased. The best diagnostic values for malaria were monocyte count, red celldistribution width, and platelet distribution width.Conclusions: Community awareness is necessary to promote regular screening forindividuals with a history of malaria, eliminate stagnant water near homes, encourage theuse of insecticide-treated nets, and highlight the risks of nighttime outdoor exposure.Healthcare providers should closely monitor the impact of malaria on coagulation andhematological profiles to optimize diagnostic strategies and predict disease severity
The Prevalence and Associated Factors Of Soil –Transmitted Helminthiasis and Drug Efficacy Of Mebendazole For Treatment Of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis among Primary School Children at West Azernet Berbere District, Central Ethiopia, 2025
(Wolkite University, 2025-01-30) Nahom Zeleke
BACKGROUND: Different types of parasitic worms are responsible for soil-transmittedhelminthes infections. Drug efficacy studies of soil-transmitted intestinal helminthes have notbeen well addressed in different parts of the tropics and subtropics, including the current studyarea.OBJECTIVE: To assess the drug efficacy of soil-transmitted helminthes infection and thefactors that is linked to it in elementary school students in the West Azernet Berbere District,Central Ethiopia.METHOD: Prospective study design involving 354 school children was conducted fromFebruary-April 2024 in the base line survey. Sixty-four study participants were involved in thesecond survey for drug efficacy. A systematic random sampling technique was applied. TheKato-Katz method was used to evaluate stool samples. Senior nurses administered 500 mg ofmebendazole as a single dosage to students who had soil-transmitted helminthes infections.Then, after the redosing regimen, or after 28 days of treatment completion, the drug efficacy ofmebendazole was performed based on the cure rate and egg reduction rate. .The data was codedand entered into EPI data version 3.1 and exported for further analysis to SPSS version 21computer software. The cure rate and egg reduction rate were examined using descriptiveanalysis.RESULTS: A total of five intestinal helminths species were found, with an overall prevalence of19.8% (70/354) (95% CI 18.9-20.0) in the baseline survey. The most common parasites foundwere 36(10.2%), A.lumbericoides 21(5.9%) T. trichiura, 10(2.8%) hookworm, other helminthsfound were Taenia spp. 2(0.6%) and E.vermicularis 1(0.2%). After the redosing, the cure rate ofmebendazole against A.lumbericoides rose from 87.9% in the single dose to 100%; similarly, thecure rate for T. trichiura rose from 84.2% in the single dosage to 100%.The mebendazole curerate for hookworms rose from 77.8% with a single dosage to 100% with a redosing.CONCLUSION: Therefore, the cure rate and egg reduction rate of single-dose and redosingphase of mebendazole is satisfactory to treat Ascaris lumbericoides, Trichuris trichiura andHookworm infections.