PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES FOLLOWING THE 2015 EARTHQUAKE IN NEPAL: THE ROLE OF WASH FAILURES AND GENDER
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v31i1.88143Keywords:
Earthquake, Gastro-intestinal parasites, Prevalence, Soil helminthAbstract
The 2015 Gorkha earthquakes severely disrupted water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in Nepal, placing displaced populations at elevated risk of gastrointestinal (GI) parasitic infections. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of GI parasitic infections and assess associated risk factors among earthquake survivors residing in temporary shelters in Byasi Tole, Bhaktapur. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2016 among 82 individuals randomly selected from 224 earthquake survivors. Stool specimens were collected in sterile, labelled 25 ml leak proof vials containing 2.5% potassium dichromate preservative and transported to the Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, for laboratory analysis. Each sample underwent macroscopic examination for consistency, color and presence of visible parasites, followed by microscopic examination using saline wet mounts and Lugol’s iodine-stained smears to identify parasitic ova, cysts and trophozoites. Parasites were identified based on standard morphological criteria. WASH practices and knowledge of parasitic infections were assessed through structured questionnaires. GI parasites were detected in 51 of 82 participants (62.2%). Soil-transmitted helminths predominated; Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent species (60.8%), followed by Trichuris trichiura (19.6%) and Entamoeba histolytica (15.7%). Female infection prevalence (77.1%) was significantly higher than in males (51.1%) (χ² = 4.90, p = 0.027). Statistically significant differences in infection prevalence were also observed across age groups (χ² = 51.3, p < 0.001); infection rates reached 100% in children (0–10 years), adolescents (11–20 years) and middle-aged adults (41–50 years). While most respondents demonstrated adequate knowledge of disease causes (79.3%), symptoms (84.1%) and prevention (73.2%), major WASH deficiencies were recorded: 63.4% consumed untreated water, 11% practiced open defecation and deworming prophylaxis coverage was only 15.9%. The high prevalence of GI parasitic infections in this post-earthquake setting is attributable to disrupted WASH infrastructure and low prophylaxis coverage. As Nepal remains highly earthquake-prone, these findings provide a baseline for disaster preparedness planning and future epidemiological studies.
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