INTENSITY OF INTESTINAL HELMINTHIASIS IN RELATION TO ABO BLOOD GROUP AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS OF MARABAN RIDO, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Unuabonah F. H., Danladi J., Okodua M. A., Iserhienihien O., Eyaufe A. O.*

ABSTRACT

Intestinal helminths cause annual preventable deaths. The helminthic burden and related morbidity varies from place to place. This study determined the relationship between intensity of intestinal helminthiasis and A B O Blood group among Primary School Pupils of Maraban Rido, Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State. A total of three hundred and fifty (350) stool and blood samples were collected from the study population. Formol ethyl acetate concentration method and Stoll’s dilution technique were used for stool examination and egg count respectively. Direct cell grouping methods were used to determine the ABO blood group. Pupils with blood group O were 50.0 %, group A were 21.1%, group B were 22.6%, and group AB were 6.3%.The Rhesus distribution showed that, 95.1 % were Rhesus positive while 4.9% were Rhesus negative. The overall prevalence of intestinal helminths was 22.6%. Infection by Hookworm was 14.0 %, Ascaris lumbricoides and Taenia spp. Were 3.1% each and Schistosoma mansoni was 2.3 %. Infectivity by blood group revealed that, blood group O had total infectivity rate of 17.7% with mean egg count of 306.4561 EPG; blood group A had 27.0% infectivity with mean egg count of 330.0000 EPG; blood group B had 30.4% infectivity with mean egg count of 583.3333 EPG; and blood group AB had infectivity of 18.2% with mean egg count of 225.000EPG. There was statistically significant difference between the intestinal helminthiasis and the various blood group (P<0.05). Turkey’s post hoc test revealed that, pupils of blood group B has more likelihood of having high intensity of intestinal helminthiasis than other blood groups (P<0.05). We recommend intensive health education, provision of pipe borne water, improvement in environmental sanitation and continuous deworming campaign in this community.

Keywords: Intestinal helminths, Blood group, Pupils, Intensity, Relationship.