INTESTINAL HELMINTH INFECTIONS IN RURAL SCHOOL-CHILDREN IN NJALA, SIERRA-LEONE

In a survey of five primary schools and one secondary school in and ar ound the Njala University College environment, in Southern Sierra Leon e, 1820 school children were examined. Ascaris lumbricoides was the mo st common helminth encountered (33.3%) followed by Trichuris trichiura (14.6%) and hookworm infection (10.4%). There was striking difference s in the rate of infection between the various schools with the Intern ational School being the least affected by all parasites. Multiple inf ections were quite common, with 53.1% having one type of helminth infe ction, 40% had two types of helminth infections, while 6.9% had three or more helminth infections. School screening should be an important c omponent of Primary Health Care in Sierra Leone since it offers good o pportunity for disease surveillance, health education and early detect ion and treatment of infections before they become chronic.