Strongylid Nematode Infections of Humans, Ruminants and Pigs in Kumasi, Ashanti Region of Ghana

Aim: Human Oesophagostomum infections are considered zoonotic. In Ghana, the human infections are known to be focally distributed in the north-eastern parts of the Northern and the Upper East regions. Factors involved in the distribution of the human infection are not clear. It is also not known whether the human and animal infections occur outside these regions. The present study, therefore, sought to determine the types of strongylid nematode parasites infecting ruminants and pigs and also, whether human Oesophagostomum infections occur in Kumasi.
Study Design and Methodology: Stool samples were obtained from Hospital outpatients, abattoir workers and dealers in ruminants and pigs in Kumasi, processed by coproculture and examined microscopically for strongylid nematode larvae.
Results: No human Oesophagostomum infections were detected in the sampled Hospital outpatients, abattoir workers and dealers in ruminants and pigs. However, there were infections with Necator sp. and Strongyloides stercoralis at prevalences of 8.4% and 7.4%, respectively. Prevalences of Oesophagostomum in the animals sampled, during the rainy and dry seasons were 39.9% and 49.5% respectively for pigs: 41.9% and 16.1% for cattle: 44.1% and 15.1% for sheep: 37.1% and 38.2% for goats. These prevalence levels were comparable to prevalences obtained in a study conducted in sampled population of human, ruminants and pigs at the Bolgatanga slaughterhouse in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
Conclusion: The results may be indicative of different species of Oesophagostomum being infective to humans and the various animals. Further investigations into the conditions that determine the presence and transmission of the human and animal parasites are recommended.