Prevalence of Intestinal Helminthiasis in Children of Silvercity, Linden (Guyana)

This study was conducted in the Silvercity area, Linden (Guyana) and endeavored to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminthiasis in children aged 5-15 and the level of awareness of these parasitic infections among community members. Questionnaires were distributed to 30 households and 26 children from the population aged 5-15 years were selected using a simple random sampling method and tested during the months of February-April 2017 using the fecal wet mount and formalin ether sedimentation method. The mean age was 8 years. The results showed that 15 of 26 children were infected by helminths within the Silvercity area. Among the parasites found, Ascaris lumbricoides were greater in number (n =10) followed by Enterobius vermicularis (n = 5), Trichuris trichiura (n = 4) and hookworm (n =1). Study also found that the level of awareness of transmission among community members was 40%.