Studies on Parasitic Contamination of Soil and Local Drinking Water Source in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water is a natural resource that is essential to all living things on earth, but if contaminated can pose a lot of risk to human health when consumed. This study evaluates the parasitic contamination of drinking water sources and surrounding soil in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A total of 48 water samples and 48 soil samples around the water sources were collected from different selected sources (wells, streams and boreholes) between the months of March to July 2017. The water samples were analyzed using the Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) floatation method while a modified baermann technique was used to examine the soil samples microscopically for the presences of parasites. A total of 32 water samples were found with parasites. These include 2 species belonging to the protozoan group (Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia lamblia) 3 from the nematode group (Trichuris trichiuria, Ascaris lumbricoides and Hookworm), and 1 Trematode group (Fasciola hepatica). The nematode group had the highest contamination rate 19(59.38%) followed by the protozoan group 12(37.50%) while trematode was least with 1(3.13%). The most contamination was in stream water sources for late dry and early wet season with 69.23% and 94.74% respectively. The wells had 30.77% and 5.26% in late dry and early wet season respectively. The boreholes had zero contamination for both seasons. Prevalence of parasites in relation to sources of water showed a high significant differences (2 = 49.741, df = 2, P = 0.0000001), while there was no significant difference in relation to late dry and early rainy seasons (2 = 2.3438, df = 1, P = 0.1258). Geohelminths was highest around the borehole area 15(35.71%) followed by well area 14 (33.33%) and was least in the stream area 13(30.95%). However, there was no significant difference (2 = 0.94915, df = 2, P = 0.6221) in the prevalence rate of geohelminths in relation to sources of water area. Result indicated a high rate of parasitic contamination of soil and drinking water sources in the study area. Hence there is need for advocacy and enlightenment on the importance of proper drinking water treatment.