Abstract
There is paucity of studies at community level on prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection among under 18 years age group. This cross-sectional community-based research aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal worm infections and its associated risk factors among 1 to 18 years age group in Puducherry, India. Sociodemographic, behavioral and other associated factors were collected using a structured questionnaire. One stool sample was collected from each participant and examined using direct (saline/iodine wet mount) and concentration (floatation/sedimentation) microscopic techniques. Log binomial regression analysis was used to find the factors independently associated with intestinal parasitic infection. Of 187 participants who provided the stool sample, 25 (13.4%) had at least one of the parasitic infections and among them 12 (6.4%) had Soil Transmitted Helminth infection (STH) and 13 (6.9%) had intestinal protozoan parasites. Parasitic infection is marginally higher among 1 to 7 years age group (14.4%) compared to 8 to 18 years age group (12.1%). After adjusting for confounding, urban residence (APR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.4-8.0) and open-air defecation (APR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.4-7.5) were significantly associated with intestinal parasitic infections. One out of eight children had any of the parasitic infection and nearly 50% of parasitic infections were caused by STH. Those children residing in urban areas and practice of open-air defecation had higher prevalence of parasitic infection.