Abstract:
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ABSTRACT
This study aimed at determining the prevalence of hookworm infection among peasant farmers in selected Local
Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna State, Nigeria. A cross sectional, descriptive study was carried out between
November 2014 and October 2015. One thousand two hundred (1200) eligible peasant farmers were enrolled in
the study. One LGA was selected from each of three Senatorial zone of Kaduna State by simple random sampling
method of which four hundred (400) stool samples were collected from each of the three LGAs. The results
obtained showed the overall prevalence of hookworm infection in the study population using microscopy
technique to be 18.7%. In respect to LGA, prevalence rate of hookworm infection was 24.0% in Jema’a, 17.3% in
Chikun and 14.8% in Zaria LGA respectively. The prevalence of hookworm infection was found to be
significantly associated with the studied LGA (P< 0.002). Hookworm infection among different age groups
revealed higher prevalence of 25.0% among middle age individuals between 40 to 49 years followed by 70 – 79
years (21.3%), 60 – 69 years (20.2%), > 80 years (19.6%), 50 – 59 years (18.3%), 30 – 39 years (17.1%), 20 – 29
years (15.8%) and the least was 10 – 19 years (12.5%). Higher prevalence of hookworm infection was recorded
among female (21.7%) than male (16.1%) which was of statiscal significant (P Value = 0.013). The results of this
study indicated an overall prevalence rate of hookworm infection of 18.7% among peasant farmers in Kaduna
State. This indicates a potential risk of severe anaemia among individuals particularly the vulnerable groups such
as pregnant women and children of school age who participate in farming. In conclusion, this study revealed the
transmission of human hookworm among peasant farmers in Kaduna State to be at alarming rate. Therefore, major
prevention and control measures should be adopted to avoid further spread of the infection; and more so, there is a
need for prompt treatment of the infected persons as well as creating a law that will prohibit indiscriminate
defeacation on farm lands.
