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Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated risk factors among Kigali Institute of Education students in Kigali, Rwanda.

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are a significant public health problem in sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) and Rwanda is not spared. While eradication programs towards preschool-aged and school-aged children are undertaken, important gaps regarding IPIs among students attending tertiary learning institutions remain. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of IPIs and associated risk factors among Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) students who attended its medical clinic for stool examination. A cross-sectional study was carried out during the 2010 academic year, from February to July. Fresh stool samples were collected from 109 students chosen randomly and were examined for the presence of eggs, cysts and parasites using direct saline smear under light microscopy. A questionnaire was also used to assess water consumption habits, eating and living places. More than half (50.5%) of the stools examined were infected with an intestinal parasite. Among the infected students, prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica was 54.5%, Trichomonas intestinalis and Ascaris lumbricoides were 20.0%, Giardia duodenalis was 3.6% and Ancylostoma duodenale was 1.8%. The prevalence of IPIs was strongly associated with drinking any kind of water (p<0.001) and eating outside of the KIE cafeteria (p<0.001) and significantly related to living outside of the KIE campus (p=0.026). The study showed that IPIs of public health relevance are prevalent among students attending tertiary schools. The importance of living and eating in hygienic environments as well as drinking safe water is crucial and all efforts need to be sustained.