Occurrence of protozoa and soil transmitted helminth (sth) in human feces used as manure in agriculture

Abstract

To assess the health risk association of soil contamination with parasite, a
total number of 168 faecally contaminated night soil was studied. The presence
of four protozoan parasites, viz. Cryptosporidium sp., Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia
sp., Trichomonas hominis and eight different helminthes, viz. Diphyllobothrium
latum, Hymenolepis sp., Taenia sp., Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale,
Enterobius vermicularis, Strongyloides stercolaris and Trichuris trichiura were
identified. Among the protozoans, Giardia sp. was the highest (46.43%) and most
abundant (339.87 ± 17.01 cysts/g); among helminthes the prevalence of Ascaris
lumbricoides was the highest (80.95%) and Strongyloides stercoralis was mostly
abundant (409.31 ± 47.53 larvae/g). Highest percentage of mild infections was
found in Giardia sp. (43.45), and lowest in Trichomonas hominis (8.33). Whereas,
among helminthes, highest percentage (64.29), of mild infections was found in
Ascaris lumbricoides and lowest (11.90) in Taenia. In case of protozoa, moderate
infection found in Giardia sp. (2.98%) and Entamoeba histolytica (3.57%), but in
case of helminth only Ascaris lumbricoides showed moderate infections (16.67%).