Abstract

Ascaris lumbricoides was surveyed among pupils of primary schools in Jos south local government. Four schools were visited: National Research Institute Staff Primary School, Rita Primary School, Joseph Primary School and St Andrew Primary School. A total of 471 samples were collected from pupils of these schools and processed using formol-ether concentration technique. Only 1 (0.2%) pupil from St Andrew Primary School was positive for A. lumbricoides. The prevalence of the infection among the age group showed that 1 (0.9%) in the age group (5 to 9) years was positive while the sex distribution showed a prevalence of 1(0.4%) among the male and no positive case was recorded among the females. The overall prevalence of other parasitic infections was 8.3% with hookworm having the highest prevalence of (5.3%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica with (0.6%), and Giardia lamblia (0.5%), while Hymenolepis nana and Taenia species had both a prevalence of (0.2%).

Key word: Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, Taenia, prevalence, primary schools, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.