ASSESSMENT OF SOIL CONTAMINATION WITH SOIL-TRANSMITTED HELMINTH EGGS AND LARVAE IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPOUNDS IN CALABAR, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Soil transmitted helminth (STH) is a group of parasitic worms with an essential phase of their asexual life cycle in the soil. Their (STH) persistence period in the soil during which their infective stages are protected, preserved and transmitted through contaminated soil, poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene. Evaluation of soil transmitted helminth in Secondary Schools Compounds was carried out in four secondary schools to determine the contamination and occurrence in Calabar. Soil samples were processed using the zinc sulphate flotation technique for the detection and identification of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) eggs, particularly Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura, based on the differential specific gravity of the parasite eggs and zinc sulphate flotation solution. Each soil sample was sieved to remove debris, coarse particles and other unwanted materials. Soil extraction for hookworm was carried out using Modified Baerman technique. Thirty-four (34) out of the Eighty (80) sample analyzed for parasites were positive for parasites eggs/larvae. The result shows that the toilet area has the highest positive samples of twelve (12) representing 35.29% of the total positive samples across the four secondary school, followed by the waste bin area with eleven (11) positive sample and has a prevalence of 32.35%. A significant association was observed between sampling location and parasite positivity, with the playground differing significantly from the other sampling areas (χ² test, p < 0.05). A total of thirty-nine (39) parasites eggs/larva were isolated, in which twenty (20) 51.28% were recovered by the zinc sulphate floatation technique, while only Nineteen (19) 48.72% was recovered by the Modified Baermann techniques. Soil transmitted helminth (STH) isolated from the school compounds include Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm and Strongyloides spp. Improved sanitation and having complete toilet/urinary structure is highly recommended to reduce the risk and contamination of soil transmitted helminth.