Intestinal Parasitic Infections among Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Secondary Care Hospital in South Western Nigeria

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood glucose, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or cells do not respond to the insulin produced. This study was conducted to determine the incidence of intestinal parasitic infections among diabetes mellitus patients which resulted into anaemia as well as the risk factors for acquisition of the parasitic infections. About 221 registered diabetes mellitus patients attending government clinics in Remo Health Zone were recruited for this study. Stool and blood specimens were obtained from each participant to detect intestinal parasites and to determine the blood level of the patients using standard techniques. Overall prevalence of 19.46% of intestinal parasitic infections among the study subjects was observed in this study, patients within the age group 51-60years had the highest prevalence of 39.53%. Toilet type significantly affected infection of intestinal parasites in the subjects (p< 0.05) with patients using pit latrines having the highest prevalence of 48.83%. The sanitary habits and personal hygiene conditions of the patients were risk factors of acquiring the parasite, patients who do not wash their hands had a prevalence rate of 20.8%. Anaemia was significantly associated with patients that had intestinal parasitic (p<0.05). More parasites are observed in type 2 (81.39%) than type 1 (18.6%) diabetes mellitus patients. Ascaris lumbricoides (51%), Entamoeba histolytica (35%), and Hookworm (14%) were the parasites recovered from diabetes mellitus patients. Packed cell volume of the subjects who had intestinal parasites which resulted into an anaemia was 29.65% and was statistically significant p-value <0.00. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection among the study subjects was high because the patients are immunocompromised which exposes them more to the infection therefore, routine diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infection of diabetes mellitus patients should be advocated. The risk factors that predispose them to acquiring these infections are; age, toilet type and eating habits, hence proper awareness and good information on personal hygiene and good environmental sanitation should be given to diabetic patient and the public.