Latrine ownership as a protective factor in inflammatory trachoma in Egypt.
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We investigated the association between inflammatory trachoma in children aged 1-5 and environmental and sociodemographic risk factors in a rural Nile Delta hamlet. Inflammatory trachoma clustered in households, emphasising the child-to-child nature of transmission in the hamlet. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed three factors predicting inflammatory trachoma in children: the absence of a latrine in the household, school-age siblings with inflammatory trachoma, and additional same-age siblings (with or without disease) in the household. In the Egyptian setting the presence of pit latrines in all houses, even when full and unscreened, might result in a reduction in trachoma prevalence in this population from the current 49% to 35%. The construction of pit latrines may offer the simplest and most acceptable environmental method for reducing trachoma in this trachoma endemic area. (+info)
Improved eradication of Clostridium difficile spores from toilets of hospitalized patients using an accelerated hydrogen peroxide as the cleaning agent.
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Some behavioural risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis in nursery and primary school children in Enugu, south eastern Nigeria.
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The objective of this study was to determine some common behavioural risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis in nursery and primary school children in Enugu. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey on 460 children attending nursery and primary schools in Enugu was carried out in 2003 with a view to determine some behavioural risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis. SETTING: This study was carried out in the research laboratory of the Federal Ministry of Health, National Arbovirus and Vector Research Centre, Enugu. METHOD: Intestinal helminthiasis was diagnosed using the kato-katz method in analysing fresh stool samples collected from nursery and primary school children in Enugu. These fresh stool samples were collected into appropriately labeled clean containers. Questionnaires were administered by the researchers to obtain data from the children and their parents or guardians as regards some behavioural risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis. RESULTS: The results from this study showed that the prevalence of intestinal helminthiasis was significantly affected by various behavioural risk factors. The rate of helminthic infection varied significantly with hand washing habits after defeacation (chi2 = 75.77; df= 2; p = 0.001) and with different habits of washing fruits before eating (chi2 = 52.79; df=2; p = 0.001) among the pupils. Also, the rate ofhelminthic infection varied significantly with the source of drinking water (chi2 = 55.12; df = 3; p = 0.01), water boiling habits (chi2 = 40.89; df = 2; p = 0.001), use of footwear after school hours (chi2 = 30.72; df = 2; p = 0.001). Sites utilized for defeacation by the pupils (chi2 = 80.25; df=3; p = 0.001) also significantly influenced the rate ofhelminthic infection. CONCLUSION: Various behavioural factors which significantly affect the rate of helminthic infection abound in children living in Enugu. The government should give attention to the control of these behavioural risk factors. A lot of health education will be needed to curb the poor personal hygienic habits which are obvious risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis. (+info)
Effect of electronic toilet system (bidet) on anorectal pressure in normal healthy volunteers: influence of different types of water stream and temperature.
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