Enterobiasis and its relationship with anal itching and enuresis among school-age children in Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of enterobiasis and its relationship with anal itching and enuresis were investigated among 799, randomly selected children aged 5–14 years, who lived, either in an area of high population density or one with a much lower population density, in Calabar, Nigeria. The eggs of Enterobius vermicularis were found in anal swabs (collected with transparent adhesive tape) from 60 (7.5%) of the subjects tested, with the prevalence of infection appearing markedly higher in the 403 children from the area with a high population density than in the 396 from the less densely populated area (11.7% v. 3.3%; P<0.05). Questionnaire-based interviews were used to determine which of the children suffered from anal itching, enuresis or both. Compared with the egg-negative subjects, the 60 children who were egg-positive for Enterobius were found to be much more likely to be suffering from anal itching (78.3% v. 28.3%; P<0.05) or enuresis (53.3% v. 36.4%; P<0.05). Enterobiasis is therefore not a problem that is restricted to the temperate regions of the world, and may be a cause of enuresis or at least a contributory factor in the development of this complaint.