| dc.description.abstract | Gastrointestinal (GI) parasitic infections prevail to be a significant health problem in many
countries. Communities with low socioeconomic status, poor environmental and personal
hygiene, overcrowding, and insufficient access to clean water are at higher risk. This
study was conducted to determine the incidence of GI parasites in selected communities
in Western province and Central Province using standard microscopy based diagnostic
techniques. A cross-sectional study was carried out on people (3 -70 years old) living
in selected areas in the Western and Central Provinces from January 2022 to February
2023. Faecal samples were collected and analysed using direct iodine and saline wet
smears, Sheathers’ sucrose and salt floatation methods, and Trichrome stain. Altogether
193 (females 54.9%) samples were analysed. Of these 25.9%, 30.1% and 44.0% samples from
Colombo, Kalutara and Kandy districts respectively. The majority (64.3%) of the samples
were from volunteers <19 years of age. Among the participants, 67.9% were living in estate
communities, 10.9% were from low-income and poor sanitary areas and 19.2% of samples
were from in-ward patients of a tertiary care hospital in Western province. Only one
(0.5%) sample was found positive for enterobiasis. All the other samples were negative
for Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis,
Giardia intestinalis, and Entamoeba histolytica. The study indicates that the incidence
of GI parasitic Infections is extremely rare in high-risk communities in the Western and
Central provinces of Sri Lanka. It is recommended to further analyse the same samples
using more sensitive molecular based diagnostic methods. | |
