Species Composition of Cockroaches, Their Potential as Mechanical Vectors of Intestinal Parasites and Associated Factors Among Households in Sekota Town, Northeast Ethiopia; A Community-based Cross-sectional Study

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Abstract Background: Cockroaches pose a significant nuisance, and public health threat due to their ability to transmit pathogenic organisms including intestinal parasites. Due to little attention given to mechanical transmission of parasitic diseases by various vectors, appropriate interventions are not implemented to date.The extent to which cockroaches may harbor parasites is poorly understood in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. This further overwhelms the already fragile program of prevention and control of parasites. Objectives: To assess species composition of cockroaches, their potential as mechanical vectors of intestinal parasites and associated factors among households in Sekota town, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in households found in Sekota town from February to April 2020. A total of 402 households were selected by a systematic random sampling technique. Possible risk factors were collected via a structured questionnaire, and 1750 cockroaches were collected using jars. Species identification of cockroaches was performed using taxonomic keys, and parasite isolation was done using formol-ether and modified modified acid-fast techniques. The data analysis was done using SPSS version 23. P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: All cockroaches collected were identified as a species of Blattella germanica (B. germanica). Overall, 63 (36.0%) of the 175 batches were found to harbor intestinal parasites, E. histolytica/dispar (14.3%) and H. nana (8.6%) being the predominant species. About 38 (21.7%), and 49 (28.0%) of cockroaches were found to harbor parasites on external parts and gut contents, respectively. Improper latrine utilization (P=0.006), presence of domestic animals (P=0.032), and presence of parasite-infected child in the household (P=0.001) were significantly associated with parasite carriage of cockroaches. Moreover, houses attached via two or more sides with neighboring houses (P=0.045), houses with cracks on their walls (P=0.001), and households with poor solid waste disposal (P=0.001) were at a significantly higher odds of cockroach infestation.Conclusion: Human and environmental factors have favoured infestation by Blattella germanica in the study area. Therefore, households housing condition, latrine utilization, and waste management systems should be improved.

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