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Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Corresponding Author

Ali Idan Al-musaedi

Authors ORCID

Ali Idan Al-musaedi: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0641-0321

Ahmed Hussain Rahim: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3249-1484

Document Type

>Short Communication

Keywords

Entamoeba histolytica, Prevalence, Amebiasis, Children

Abstract

Background: Most parasites impose some level of damage to their hosts. Factors such as the number of parasites, the site of infection, the size and mobility of the parasite, along with the host's physiological condition and whether it serves as an intermediate or final host, affect the severity of infections in both humans and animals.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica infection in children under the influence of some risk factors.

Materials and Methods: A total of 1213 stool samples were collected from children attending Maysan Pediatric and Maternity Hospital in Amarah City, Maysan Governorate, southern Iraq. Microscopy examination examined the samples for cysts and trophozoites of E.histolytica. Month, sex, and stage of infection were among several factors taken into account.

Results: E. histolytica infection was generally reported as 12.0%. Infection was somewhat more prevalent in males (6.3%, n=76), and females (5.8%, n=70), with no statistical difference (P > 0.05). Infection was significantly associated with the month of the year (P < 0.05); May had the highest incidence (3.5%, n=43) and January had the lowest incidence (1.4%, n=17). There was also a statistically significant correlation between infection and the diagnostic stages (cyst, trophozoite, combined). In brief, we found that frequency of infection 12.0%. The infection was rather higher in males than in females and may be due to behavioral factors.

Conclusion: Infection by E. histolytica in children in Amarah City does not differ from other studies in Iraq generally. The current study found that infection in children was higher in males than in females, and this agrees with numerous studies stating that males are more exposed to infection than females due to behavioral factors.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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