European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Worm infestation is one of the major causes of childhood malnutrition, anemia, stunted physical and mental growth, psycho-social problems and this along with repeated gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tract infection contributes to high morbidity in children and remains a major cause of high infant and child mortality in our country. The infection is usually transmitted via ingestion of eggs from contaminated foodstuffs, an infection may occasionally occur via inhalation of eggs and swallowing of infected secretions.[1]
The overall prevalence of helminth infection in school-age children in India is about 50% in Urban and 68% in the rural area. Soil-transmitted helminths commonly known as worms form part of the Neglected tropical diseases which are associated with substantial acute and chronic morbidity, particularly among children [2].