The health effects of wastewater on the prevalence of ascariasis among the children of the discharge zone of El Jadida, Morocco

Abstract

Proximity to wastewater constitutes an infection hazard by ascariasis. This is supported by the results of an epidemiologic study of a group of children living near an area of wastewater effluents. The subjects of this study were schoolchildren from Sidi Daoui, a neighborhood located in the area of the main effluent of the city of El Jadida, Morocco. For a comparative approach, a control group was selected from Sidi Moussa, a neighborhood far from the discharge area. The incidence of ascariasis was 18.1% in the study group (Sidi Daoui) and 1% in the control group (Sidi Moussa). It was found that 71% of the exposed children were suffering from acute parasitic infections. The risk attributable to wastewater in transmitting ascariasis to examined children in Sidi Daoui was about 17%. Boys, particularly those aged 7 – 10, appeared to be the most vulnerable to contracting ascariasis. This study demonstrates the relationship between ascariasis in children and their proximity to wastewater effluents.

Keywords:

• Ascariasis
• health effects
• wastewater
• prevalence
• helminthiasis
• epidemiology
• children

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Delegation of the Moroccan Ministry of Public Health and the Delegation of the Moroccan Ministry of National Education in El Jadida for assistance with this project.