COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FORMAL ETHER CONCENTRATION WITH OTHER METHOD FOR DIAGNOSIS OF INTESTINAL PARASITE FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN ELELE, RIVERS STATE.

ABSTRACT Intestinal parasite is a major public health problem, and their accurate diagnosis is important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare formal ether concentration with other method for diagnosis of intestinal parasite from primary school children in Elele. This study was conducted to determine the best diagnostic method use for examination of intestinal parasite using three methods, formal/ether concentration, Brine solution floatation and direct wet microscope method, in addition to determine the clinical manifestations parasitic diseases, risk management issues and treatment of parasitic infection. Fifty (50) samples were collected randomly from primary school children in Elele and were examine using forma ether concentration, brine solution floatation and direct microscope. The results showed that formal ether concentration method has highest positive rate 50(100%), with negative rate of 0(0%) followed by Direct wet microscope 45(90%), with negative rate of 5(10%), and Brine solution Floatation that shows lowest rate 35(70%), with negative rate of 15(30%). The most common parasite is Entamoebacoli 45(33.8%) followed by Ascaris lumbricoide 35(26.3%), Entameba histolytica 34(25.6%), Giardia intestinalis 8(0.0%), Fasciola hepatica 4(3.0%), Schistosoma mansoni 5(3.8%), Balantidium coli and Hookworm 1(0.8%). The rate of parasite seen in forma ether concentration was higher 104 (45%) than floatation 41(18.1%) and direct wet microscope 82(36.1%).