Environmental Contamination by Taenia Eggs in Iringa Rural District, Tanzania
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Date
2013
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Abstract
Cysticercosis and Taeniosis are global health problems with impacts on human beings and the development of
the livestock industry. This study tested the presence of Taenia eggs in the soil of two villages in Iringa rural district, Tanzania.
No recognizable Taenia egg was found, though those found were difficult to identify due to absorption of the flotation
fluid which made them dark with difficulties to see the innermost structures. In view of their sizes (30 - 40 microns in
diameter) these eggs were considered to be of Taenia spp. In addition, eggs from four geo-helminth species were identified
namely; Ascaris lumbricoides, Schistosoma mansoni, Strongyloides stercoralis and Trichuris trichiura eggs. The frequency
of T. trichiura was 81.97%, Ascaris lumbricoides was 8.2%, unidentified eggs 6.01%, Strongyloides stercoralis
3.3% and Schistosoma mansoni was 0.5%. The most contaminated sites were backyard with a prevalence of 30.1% followed
by west disposal site (WDS) 25.7%, open defaecation area (ODA) 24.0% and the least was toilet 20.2%. About 31
(31%) samples had no eggs. The findings revealed that the environment of Izazi village was more contaminated by geohelminth
eggs (19.4%) than that of Migoli village (12.1%) and that higher moisture content in soils favors the growth, development,
spread and transmission of geo-helminth eggs.
Description
Keywords
Environment., Taenia eggs, Iringa rural, Tanzania
Citation
Mwita Chacha, J., Julius, T. and Nkwengulila, G., 2013. Environmental Contamination by Taenia Eggs in Iringa Rural District, Tanzania. Open Environmental Engineering Journal, 6, pp.1-6.