Co-infections and Comorbidities of Multiple Parasites and Hepatitis B Virus Infections in the Lowland Area of Western Ethiopia: Implications for Integrated Approaches

BACKGROUND: In the current study area, the burden of morbidities associated with S. mansoni, soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), asymptomatic malaria, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections and co-infection has not been known for the last 20 years. This necessitated a systematic investigation of the status of these infections and their associated morbidities in the lowland areas of the Abbey and Didessa Valleys in Western Ethiopia. METHODS: We used a cross-sectional study design in three schistosomiasis endemic areas. Systematic random sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to select households and one study participant from each household. Each selected and consented participants were give stool sample for S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths screening using duplicate kato-Katz technique; blood sample for screen of asymptomatic malaria using malaria rapid diagnostic test and microscopy and hepatitis B virus using hepatitis B surface antigen kit and anthropometric measurement to assess nutritional status and digital hemoglobin meter to measure hemoglobin and interviewed using structured questionnaire to assess factors associated with infections. A descriptive statistic to summarize the data and a chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and binary logistic regression models were used to see the associations. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of studied infections was 74.5%. It was highest for Schistosoma mansoni (53.9%), followed by asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infection (23.6%). The prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni co-infection with asymptomatic malaria was 8.6%, Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths co-infection was 6.2%, and the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus was 2.9%. About half (49.9%) of the study participants were undernourished and about a quarter (24.4%) were anemic. Age group, the younger age group and infection status, those with multiple infections were more anemic and commonly undernourished. CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of infections in the study area. Morbidities such as undernutrition and anemia were still prominent public health problems. There was a significant association between infection status and undernutrition and anemia.