Author(s)

Oghenetejiri Anderson-Otunu^1,2, James Damen³

¹Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
²Integrated Studies Institute, Salmiya, Kuwait.
³Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.

Several studies have shown that sickle cell disease (SCD) is made worse by infections; it was necessary to carry out this study to ascertain the occurrence of intestinal parasitic infections to the number of SCD patients infected compared to Non-SCD patients, the impact of the infections on Pack cell volume (PCV) of the SCD patients in Nigeria populace. A total of 140 stool samples were collected from both SCD patients and Non-SCD patients. 3 ml of venous blood, seventy samples in total were collected from the SCD patients only. The blood and stool samples were collected from September 2005 to November 2005; structured questionnaire was administered to each of the patient that gave consent to be part of the study alongside with questionnaire interview. The stool samples were analysed macroscopically and microscopically using saline, iodine and formal-ether concentration technique. The blood samples were analysed by micro-heamatocrit method. The findings showed that a total of six parasites were identified among the SCD patients and a total of thirteen parasites were identified among Non-SCD patients. Although the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was low among the research participates, the identified parasites fell into the 4 major categories of intestinal parasites, an indication that SCD patients can be susceptible to any of the intestinal worms/protozoa. Despite a low prevalence of intestinal parasites among the studied individual at the time of this study, it is however, necessary for regular laboratory investigations for intestinal worm/protozoa since they are still a public health problem.

Sickle Cell Disease, Intestinal Parasites, Prevalence, Pack Cell Volume, Infections

Anderson-Otunu, O. and Damen, J. (2019) Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Attending Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 7, 1-8. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2019.79001.