Helminth parasitic infections are a significant public health concern, particularly among school-aged children in tropical and subtropical regions. This study investigates the socio-demographic characteristics, hygiene practices, and prevalence of helminth infections associated with fingernails among 60 nomadic children in Malakun community, conducted from April to May 2024. Fingernail samples were examined microscopically after preparation with normal saline, iodine, or eosin. The majorities of participants were in Primary 3 (38.3%) and aged 7-10 years (41.7%), with a slightly higher representation of females (55.0%). Hygiene practices revealed that 45.0% of children consistently washed their hands before eating, while 41.7% sometimes or never did. The study found a higher prevalence of helminth infections among females (21.2%) compared to males (14.8%), with the highest prevalence in Primary 6 for males (50.0%) and Primary 3 for females (35.3%). However, there was no statistically significant difference in prevalence across different grades for either gender (x² = 6.750; p < 0.240). The highest prevalence by age was among children aged 3-4 years (38.5%), with a significant difference in infection rates across grades for this age group (x² = 6.240; p < 0.012). Helminth contamination in fingernails was more prevalent in right fingernails (28.1%) than in left (7.1%). Ascaris lumbricoides was the most common species (45.0%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica (28.3%) and Hookworm (26.7%). These findings underscore the need for enhanced hygiene education and targeted interventions to reduce helminth infections, particularly among younger children in specific school grades, to address the significant health burden in this community.

Keywords: Finger Nails, Contamination, Helminth eggs, Preschool Children, in Nomads Community, Odeda, Abeokuta, Nigeria