Pathogenic intestinal parasites in infants in Al-Diwanyah City: An epidemiological and diagnostic investigation

Abstract

Background: An area of concern for children is intestinal parasitic infections from their environment where it is not stable.

Objective: This research aimed to assess the occurrence of intestinal parasites among children from Al-Diwaniyah city residential districts and to find out the relationship between environmental variables, such as temperature, humidity, sunlight, and rainfall, and the transmission patterns of those parasites.

Methodology: A total number of 2145 patients were observed in the study from August 2025 until January 2026. The total incidence of infection was 30.63%, and the study had evidence of a high level of overall endemicity. The data also showed there were a variety of disease types; for example, parasitic disease occurred at the highest rate, with 417 episodes (63.5%), indicating there's substantial soil contamination. The investigator found Entamoeba histolytica in 61 of those 200 cases of contaminated drinking water, or approximately 30.4%. Giardia lamblia was found in 40 of the 200 cases of giardiasis (6.1%). Giardia lamblia spreads by means of its cysts found in water.

Results: Males represent 52.97% of the entire population (348 cases) and females 47.03% (309 cases), creating nearly equal representation between males and females concerning the gender distribution of the population. Consequently, all the individuals in this population were exposed to contaminated food and water. In terms of the age variable, children aged 1 through 5 years had the highest rate of disease occurrence/illness burden (55.56%), followed by children aged 5 years (31.66%). The rapid increase in disease occurrence in early childhood, before 5 years, has been attributed to the absence of naturally developed immunity, basic "hand-to-mouth habits" due to developmental stages, and behaviors associated with playing in unclean dirt. The results of the research indicate a relatively equal number of males and females, with 47.03% (309 cases) of patients being female, and 52.97% (348 cases) being male. This means that all individuals in the sample have had one or more opportunities to come into contact with contaminated sources (food or water).

Conclusion: Children aged one to five appeared to account for the highest percentage of infected patients based on their age, with children aged five accounting for the highest number of infected children. The increases in the number of children under five years old who are infected were attributed to activities such as playing in contaminated soil, hand-to-mouth pathways, and an undeveloped immune system.

Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases, June 2026;13(1):348-353