Saudi Journal of Biomedical Research (SJBR)
Volume-4 | Issue-05 | 212-215
Original Research Article
Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections in the City of Zawia, State of Libya
Fawzia Shawesh, Altayeb Elazomi, Mahmoud Almgherbi, Osamah Almaryami, Hesham Lajnaf, Araibi EH, Abdalla A Mohamed, Ahmad Babiker
Published : May 29, 2019
Abstract
Intestinal parasitic infections have been described as the greatest single globalcause of disease and illness.A survey of
prevalence of intestinal parasites among the native Libyan people attending several health centers (governmental and
private) in the city of Zawia. The study was designed to cover the period of 2010-2015. Stool tests from 12,850 patients
was performed. 8950 specimens of the 12,850 examined were found to be infected with intestinal parasites. The
infection rates were 69.6% among the native population. The rate of infection in females (65%) was higher than in males
(34.9%). Overall, protozoa infections (92.4%) were higher thanhelminths infections (7.6%). Entamoeba histolytica
(60.70%) and Giardia lamblia (31.73%) were the most common intestinal parasites identified. Among the helminths,
Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichiuris trichiura and Hymenolepis nana were the frequentones. The high prevalence rate of
intestinal parasitic infections among the local Libyan people clearly indicates that there is continuous ongoing
transmission of various parasitic infections in the community.