High Prevalence of Hookworm Species and Associated Factors among Soil‐Transmitted Helminth‐Infected Household Contacts in Burie Zuria District, Northwest Ethiopia: A Community‐Based Cross‐Sectional Study

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Background. Soil‐transmitted helminths (STHs) are parasitic worms that are widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions. In Ethiopia, one of the tropical countries, STH infections are high and cause a huge burden. Several STH species show a pattern of household clustering with regard to prevalence and intensity. However, there is a scarcity of data on the status of STH infection among family contacts of STH‐infected individuals in Ethiopia in general and in the study area in particular. Objective. This study is aimed at assessing the prevalence of soil‐transmitted helminths and associated factors among STH‐infected household contacts in Burie Zuria district, northwest Ethiopia. Method. A community‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted among 422 study participants from March to May 2021. Study participants were traced to their residences by following STH‐infected patients. A convenient sampling technique was used to recruit the study participants. The stool samples were processed using duplicate Kato‐Katz thick smears and a modified Ritchie’s technique. The data were entered and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 26 of the software package. A P value <0.05 was considered a statistically significant association. Results. The overall prevalence of STHs was 36.5% (95% CI: 31.7%–41.5%). Two STHs, namely hookworm species (33.2%, 140/422) at (95% CI: 28.9%–37.8%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (4.3%, 18/422) at (95% CI: 2.7%–6.6%), were identified, with a double infection of 2.6% (4/154) at (95% CI: 1.0%–6.5%). Almost the majority (96.9%) of hookworm species and all Ascaris lumbricoides infections were categorized under a light intensity of infection. Family size >5 (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.15–2.60; P = 0.008) and lack of latrine facility (AOR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.17–2.90; P = 0.02) were significantly associated with STH infections. Conclusion. A high prevalence of hookworms was found in the study area, where the majority of the study participants were adults. This finding may provide a basis for revising the school‐based deworming programs that exclude the adult population. Public health interventions like accessing latrines, health education, and deworming programs should be regularly implemented for all age groups in the areas.

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