02878nas a2200385   4500000000100000008004100001653001800042653003100060653003500091653002000126653003900146653001000185653002200195100001400217700001600231700001500247700001200262700001500274700001800289700001400307700001600321700001300337700001000350700001200360700001200372700001300384700001000397700001500407245011900422856011100541300000800652490000600660520181200666022001402478       2017                            d10aUttar Pradesh10aSoil-transmitted helminths10aSchool-based deworming program10aSchool children10aNeglected tropical diseases (NDTs)10aIndia10aDeworming program1 aGanguly S1 aBarkataki S1 aKarmakar S1 aSanga P1 aBoopathi K1 aKanagasabai K1 aKamaraj P1 aChowdhury P1 aSarkar R1 aRaj D1 aJames L1 aDutta S1 aSehgal R1 aJha P1 aMurhekar M00aHigh prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections among primary school children, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2015.  uhttps://idpjournal.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s40249-017-0354-7?site=idpjournal.biomedcentral.com  a1390 v63 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections often affect the poorest and most deprived communities. In order to generate reliable data for planning a school based deworming program, we conducted a survey among primary school children studying in government schools in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The objectives of our survey were to estimate the prevalence and intensity of STH infections.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional survey among children studying in 130 primary schools from 9 agro-climatic zones, during May - August 2015. Information about socio-demographic details, defecation and hand-hygiene practices, and stool samples were collected from the school children. Stool samples were examined using the Kato-Katz method.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Stool samples from 6421 school children were examined. The overall weighted prevalence of any STH in the State was 75.6% (95% CI: 71.2-79.5). The prevalence was more than 50% in six of the nine agro-climatic zones. A. lumbricoides was the most prevalent STH (prevalence: 69.6%), followed by hookworm (prevalence: 22.6%) and T. trichura (4.6%). The majority of the STH infections were of low intensity. The practice of open defecation and not washing hands with soap after defecation and residence in kutcha house were significant risk factors of&nbsp;STH infection.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>STH prevalence among primary school children in Uttar Pradesh was high. Given&nbsp;the WHO guidelines on deworming frequency according to STH prevalence, Govt of Uttar Pradesh needs to implement a school-based deworming program with bi-annual frequency. The findings of our survey would also help monitor the performance of school based deworming programme.</p>
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