Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites and Determination of Some Physio-Chemical Parameters in Calabash Chalk (Nzu)

Uzoh CV, Ude Ibiam Ude, Bifom

Abstract

The study was carried out at different locations where calabash chalk can be extracted and the prevalence of intestinal parasites/ova/egg of helminthes were investigated using sugar flotation method. The different samples were dried at room temperature and sieved through 100m sieves where three aliquots (2 g each) of sieved products were processed and examined for colour, presence of adult parasites or ova microscopically. The analysis of physicochemical parameters followed the utilization of 20 g of the air dried soil sieved through 2 mm mesh guaze into 50 ml beaker from where the parameters were evaluated. The physicochemical parameters measured were PH, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn, V, Na with the values 6.2+2.9, 6.3+0.9, 9.0+1.8, 0.18+0.10,0.15+0.05, 0.0+0.0, 0.1+0.05, 0.1+0.02, 8.50+2.4 respectively. Out of the 480 samples that were examined, 167(34.8%) were positive for intestinal parasites. The calabash extraction site had the highest contamination of 54(45%) and the edge of path/gully had the lowest contamination of 29(24.2%). The intestinal parasites found include A. lumbricoides, E. histolytica, E. vermicularis, S. stercoralis, G. lamblia, H. nana and Trichuris trichiura, A. lumbricoides 18(15.0) had the highest values and E. histolytica 15 (12.5%) had the lowest values in the calabash chalk site. The presence of heavy metals in the results and intestinal parasites poses danger to the consumers of the calabash chalk.