Abstract
BACKGROUND: Under-five children and women of reproductive age in developing countries face a high risk of morbidity from intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs). Maternal IPIs may increase the risk of infection of their children. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites among mothers and their under-five children at Haro Health Center, Southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving under-five children and their mothers was conducted in Haro Health Center between March and June 2019. Socio-demographic data and factors associated with IPIs were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Stool samples from both the children and their mothers were examined for intestinal parasites using direct wet-mount microscopy and formol-ether concentration technique. Data were analyzed using STATA_MP version 12 (Stata Corp., TX, USA). RESULTS: A total of 209 mother-child pairs participated in the study. Intestinal parasitic infections were detected in 22% (46/209) of the mothers and 19.1% (40/209) of the children. Overall, Ascaris lumbricoides and Giardia lamblia were the predominant intestinal parasites recorded. Significant factors associated with maternal IPIs included source of drinking water (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 5.8, 95% CI 1.0-28.3), bathing in the river (AOR = 7.2, 95% CI 2.6-20.0) and having untrimmed fingernails (AOR = 28.0, 95% CI 7.5-105). Among the children, IPIs were significantly associated with having untrimmed fingernails (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.0-6.5) and experiencing diarrhea in the two weeks prior to the survey (AOR = 9.4, 95% CI 2.2-40). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, untrimmed fingernails were a predisposing factor for IPIs in both the children and their mothers. There is a need to improve personal hygiene and enhance the quality of drinking water for the local population.