The Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites and Associated Risk Factors Among Students of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences

F: Parasitic infections, especially those caused by intestinal agents could affect social and personal hygiene and health; and to avoid the spread of pollution, monitoring the infectious sources is critical. Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasites and identify factors associated with intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) among students of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences during 2013-2014. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out between September 2013 and February 2014. A total of 1293 stool samples were taken from 431 students and were examined by direct wet mounting and formalin-ether methods. A questionnaire for common risk factors was completed for each individual. Results: Overall, the prevalence of IPIs was estimated to be 125 (29%) that was caused by both pathogenic and non-pathogenic intestinal parasites. Various species of pathogenic and non-pathogenic protozoa were detected: Entamoeba coli was the most common parasite (9.04%) followed by Blastocystis hominis (8.12%), and Giardia lamblia (4.64%). In the current study, 3.2% of students were infected with multiple parasites. A significant association was observed between the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and the type of accommodation (odds ratio [OR] =1. 5; 95% CI: 1.1; 1.9), parents’ educational level (OR=1. 5; 95% CI: 1.1; 1.9) and gender (OR=1. 5; 95% CI: 1.1; 1.9). No association was detected between the prevalence of infection and age, but a slightly positive prevalence was observed with aging (P=0.66). Conclusion: The data showed that intestinal parasites were slightly more prevalent than expected; that might be due to the interior sources of infection in college, such as carrier students. Hence, performing periodic stool screening of students is a necessity to promote the hygiene among the students.