ABSTRACT
The prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis and potential risk factors was investigated in 2,230 pupils in Sivas between November 2006 and June 2008. A total of ten primary schools in different regions (4 located in City center, 4 in districts and 2 in villages) were classified as Region 1, Region 2 and Region 3, respectively and children completed a questionnaire about the potential risk factors. The overall egg positivity rate for E. vermicularis was 8.2% in Region 1, and the prevalence in the other regions was 7.0% and 14.8%, respectively. Children, aged 10–14 years, didn’t show a significantly higher egg positivity rate than younger children (χ2: 0.10, p>0.05) and the infection rate for boys was not statistically different than girls (χ2:0.40, p>0.05). The socio-economic status of the family and personal hygiene were found to be associated with enterobiosis, (χ2:30.83, p<0.05). Furthermore, it was found that there was a statistically important relation between parasite occurrence and school success (χ2:39.52, p<0.05).But there is no difference between the parasitic and non-parasitic groups in terms of weight and height (t: 1.75, p>0.05, t: 1.43, p>0.05; respectively). The frequency of enterobiosis is obviously decreased in our region when the previous studies are considered.
Keywords: Enterobiosis, children, school success, socio-economical status
