CHAP II. LITERATURE
REVIEW
II.1. DEFINITION OF
GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS
Infection is the invasion of a host by an organism with
subsequent establishment and multiplication of the agent. A gastrointestinal
infection is any infection of the digestive tract; gastrointestinal meaning
having to do with the organs of digestive system, the system that process food.
It includes the month, esophagus, stomach, intestine, colon and rectum and
other organs involved in digestion, including the liver and pancreas (Prescott
et al., 2005).
II.2.PREVALENCE OF
GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS
II.2.1. Prevalence of
gastrointestinal infections worldwide
The prevalence of gastrointestinal infections is high, mostly
in developing countries children. In 1998, 2.2 million people die because of
diarrheal diseases and the majorities were children. The World Health
Organization (WHO) in 2007 estimated that, the 53% of school-aged children in
developing countries were infected by gastrointestinal infections.
A research done on children of various nationalities from
India subcontinent, Middle- East, South- East Asia shown that among infected
children, the protozoan infections (92.2%) were higher than the helminthes
infections (7.8%). Entamoeba histolytica (71.8%) and Giardia
lambia (17.5%) were the commonest intestinal protozoa parasites
identified.
About 400 million school age children are infected by round
worm, whip worm, hook worm, Schistosomiasis and flukes. These
helminthes infections especially hook worm infections cause iron deficiency
anemia and reduce growth and may negatively affect cognition (Rwanda
Demographic and Health Survey, 2005).
ll.2.2. Prevalence of
gastrointestinal infection in different African countries
In Africa, more than 2.3 billions of people still live without
access to sanitation facilities and are enable to have basic hygiene such as
washing their hands with soap and water. Diseases related to poor sanitation
and water availability may cause many people to fall ill or even die; children
are more vulnerable to those related infections and consequently the most
affected.
In 1996-1997; the prevalence of diarrhea, the most outcome of
gastrointestinal infections have increased from 18% to 60% in Kenya and from
16% to 21% in Uganda due to the lack of safe disposal of feces and waste water.
In Bruea (Cameron) due to the lack adequate sanitation (safe disposal of
feces, cleaned water supplies, waste water disposal) intestinal protozoa
infections raised and Entamoeba histolytica was seen to be the most
prevalence (24%) followed by Trichomonas intestinalis with 11.2% and
the lowest was Giardia with 0.6%. The most prevalent morbidity
effects were abdominal pain, dysentery and body weakness (Stoltzfus et al.,
1997).
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