{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,29]],"date-time":"2026-08-29T06:39:29Z","timestamp":1787985569392,"version":"build-2784847793"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014115","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774396800000}}],"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,18]],"date-time":"2026-03-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773792000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100009698","name":"Hawassa University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100009698","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100007941","name":"Addis Ababa University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100007941","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and intestinal schistosomiasis are widespread and prevalent in tropical regions due to poor sanitation and limited healthcare access. Despite control efforts, localized epidemiological data remain essential for effective intervention. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of STH and associated factors among schoolchildren in Hawella Tulla sub-city, Hawassa City, Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Method<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A school-based cross-sectional study involving 394 primary schoolchildren was conducted from June to December 2023. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Infection with the parasite was diagnosed by Kato\u2013Katz microscopy. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with the STH infections.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      The combined prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and intestinal schistosomiasis was 42.6% (168\/394; 95% CI: 37.8\u201347.6). STHs constituted the predominant infection, detected in 41.1% of children (162\/394; 95% CI: 36.3\u201346.0), while intestinal schistosomiasis was found in 3.3% (13\/394; 95% CI: 1.9\u20135.4). The most prevalent parasite was\n                      <jats:italic>Ascaris lumbricoides<\/jats:italic>\n                      (29.2%), followed by\n                      <jats:italic>Trichuris trichiura<\/jats:italic>\n                      (17.8%) and hookworms (5.1%). Schoolchildren who reported consuming unwashed fruits or vegetables (AOR: 2.89; 95% CI: 1.73\u20134.85), swimming or bathing in streams or lakes (AOR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.31\u20133.79), and not receiving deworming treatment (AOR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.26\u20133.56) were significantly more likely to be infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Overall, soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STHs) and\n                      <jats:italic>Schistosoma mansoni<\/jats:italic>\n                      remain significant public health concerns in the study area, affecting more than one-third of schoolchildren. Infections were strongly associated with poor hygiene practices, inadequate deworming coverage, and exposure to contaminated water sources. This highlights the need for improved hygiene, health education, and deworming programs.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014115","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,18]],"date-time":"2026-03-18T17:41:42Z","timestamp":1773855702000},"page":"e0014115","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Prevalence, infection intensity, and risk factors of soil-transmitted helminthiasis and intestinal schistosomiasis among schoolchildren in Southern Ethiopia"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3677-1830","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Fisseha","family":"Bonja","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Berhanu","family":"Erko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Musa Mohammed","family":"Ali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bineyam","family":"Taye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hagos","family":"Ashenafi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,18]]},"reference":[{"issue":"8","key":"pntd.0014115.ref001","article-title":"The global progress of soil-transmitted helminthiases control in 2020 and World Health Organization targets for 2030","volume":"14","author":"AMD Montresor","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0014115.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"585","DOI":"10.1186\/s13104-018-3679-9","article-title":"Soil-transmitted helminth infections, anemia and undernutrition among schoolchildren in Yirgacheffee, South Ethiopia","volume":"11","author":"E Molla","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Res Notes"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0014115.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3614","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-07669-4","article-title":"Soil-transmitted helminthiasis and undernutrition among schoolchildren in Mettu town, Southwest Ethiopia","volume":"12","author":"S Yeshanew","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"pntd.0014115.ref004","first-page":"137","article-title":"Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Other Intestinal Parasites Among Schoolchildren in Southern Ethiopia","volume":"10","author":"T Eyamo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Res Rep Trop Med"},{"key":"pntd.0014115.ref005","volume-title":"Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases number of people treated in 2018. Wkly Epidemiol Rec","author":"WHO","year":"2019"},{"key":"pntd.0014115.ref006","volume-title":"Helminth control in school-age children: a guide for managers of control programmes","author":"WHO","year":"2011"},{"key":"pntd.0014115.ref007","volume-title":"Soil-transmitted helminth infections: key facts","author":"WHO","year":"2020"},{"issue":"8","key":"pntd.0014115.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0000412","article-title":"Neglected tropical diseases in sub-saharan africa: Review of their prevalence, distribution, and disease burden","volume":"3","author":"PJ Hotez","year":"2009","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0014115.ref009","article-title":"Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection and associated risk factors among primary school-aged children (5 - 15 years) in southern Nigeria","volume":"9","author":"JAAE Gbonhinbor","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Infect"},{"issue":"4","key":"pntd.0014115.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0266333","article-title":"Prevalence, intensity of infection and associated risk factors of soil-transmitted helminth infections among school children at Tachgayint woreda, Northcentral Ethiopia","volume":"17","author":"T Eyayu","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"4","key":"pntd.0014115.ref011","first-page":"476","article-title":"Risk Factors of Malnutrition among In-School Children and Adolescents in Developing Countries: A Scoping Review","volume":"11","author":"M Amoadu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Children (Basel)"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0014115.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"727","DOI":"10.1186\/s13104-019-4771-5","article-title":"Under nutrition as a predictor of poor academic performance; the case of Nekemte primary schools students, Western Ethiopia","volume":"12","author":"D Seyoum","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Res Notes"},{"key":"pntd.0014115.ref013","volume-title":"Soil-transmitted helminthiases: eliminating soil-transmitted helminthiases as a public health problem in children: progress report 2001\u20132010 and strategic plan 2011\u20132020","author":"WHO","year":"2012"},{"key":"pntd.0014115.ref014","volume-title":"Helminth control in school-age children: a guide for managers of control programmes","year":"2002"},{"key":"pntd.0014115.ref015","unstructured":"FMOH. 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