Occupational Exposure as it Relate to Pathogenic contamination in some Individuals in some parts of Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

This study investigated Cryptosporidium species in Apparently Healthy Individuals (AHI) of different occupation the study was carried out in Jos metropolis of Plateau State, Nigeria. Three hundred (300) samples were collected from Apparently Healthy Individuals (AHI). Samples were analyzed for Cryptosporidium infectious. Cryptosporidium species and other intestinal parasites were determined by parasitological techniques (Formol-ether and floatation concentration techniques Staining was done using Zielh Neelsen technique). Cryptosporidiosis in AHI was 37(12.3%). Younger individuals between the ages of 0-10 and 11-20, had 11(55.0%), 12 (60.0%) and 15 (57.7%), 14 (58.33%) in the male and female group. These were statistically (p< 0.05) significant. Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, Taenia saginata, Ancyslostoma duodenale, (Hookworm sp) Ascaris lumbricoides, and Hymenolepis nana were also identified. Of these, two major parasites implicated in gastroenteritis and diarrhea (Entamoeba histolytic and Giardia intestinalis) had prevalence of 40(13.33%) and 11(3.67%) respectively. The occurrence of this parasite in relation to the occupational group sampled showed that the prevalence was higher with the herdsmen, butchers and the farmers having 17.11%, 16.96% and 15.84% in that order with the least occurring in the businessmen with 8.33%. These results are discussed in relation to the distribution and significance of Cryptosporidium species and other enteric parasites in the environment.