Researchers at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) have reported a surge in soil-transmitted helminth infections (commonly known as worms) among children in urban slums, warning of serious health and educational consequences.
Senior Research Fellow, Public Health and Epidemiology Dept. NIMR, Dr Vincent Gyang, disclosed that urban slums have become hotspots, with movement spreading infections across states, adding that increasing rural-urban migration has led to the spread of these infections into cities.
Gyang described Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) as a major public health threat, particularly to children whose hygiene practices are poor.
He said infections can cause anaemia, vitamin deficiencies, stunted growth, and reduced learning ability, leading to poor school performance.
While traditionally more common in rural areas, soil-transmitted helminth infections are caused by parasitic worms like roundworms, whipworms, or hookworms, and are spread through contact with soil contaminated by human faeces, especially in areas with poor sanitation.
Commonly known as intestinal worms; people, particularly children, become infected by ingesting contaminated food or water or through direct contact with contaminated soil.
Sharing details from a recent study conducted in a Lagos urban slum, the research fellow revealed that over 90 per cent of children screened tested positive for intestinal parasites. Of those infected, about 50 per cent had multiple worm infections, with some children harbouring two or three types, leading to different health complications.
Following the findings, the researchers have made several recommendations to affected communities. They advised the implementation of regular mass deworming programmes, more robust health hygiene education, provision of safe drinking water, and a complete stop to open defecation.
Gyang emphasised that since the primary mode of transmission is the oral-faecal route, improving hygiene practices and sanitation infrastructure is critical to breaking the cycle of infection.
In addition, the institute also called for urgent, sustained action against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), which continue to impact millions in the country, particularly those in poor and underserved communities.
The Director of Neglected Tropical Disease Research at NIMR, Prof. Olaoluwa Akinwale, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) currently recognised 21 infectious diseases as NTDs, all of which are preventable and treatable, yet remain widespread in tropical regions like Nigeria.
She said that these diseases disproportionately affect people in resource-limited settings and drive already poor populations further into poverty.
According to Akinwale, diseases such as Buruli ulcer, sleeping sickness, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), river blindness, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, and blinding trachoma are prevalent in Nigeria, with some found nationwide and others localised based on environmental conditions.
She highlighted NIMR’s collaborative research with institutions like the University of Cambridge to map the distribution of these diseases and understand their vectors, adding that the team employs parasitological and molecular techniques to gather epidemiological data, guide policy, and train health workers on disease identification and diagnosis.
Focusing on urinary schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection causing blood in urine; Akinwale revealed the alarming results of a recent study targeting women of childbearing age in endemic communities.
“Nearly half of the women we screened were infected. Of those, about 50 per cent showed signs of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS),” she said.
She added that clinical tools including urine microscopy, pap smears, and photo-colonoscopy revealed concerning abnormalities such as sandy patches, abnormal blood vessels, and rubbery lesions.
The findings, funded by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and the UK’s National Institute for Health Research, called attention to the need for gender-specific healthcare interventions.
“We strongly recommend follow-up care for women with abnormal cervical cells to prevent possible progression to malignant conditions,” Akinwale said.
Turning to Buruli ulcer, another NTD, Akinwale described how a gap in reliable diagnosis led NIMR to establish Nigeria’s first PCR confirmation laboratory in 2016 with funding from WHO. Since then, the lab has processed over 5,000 samples at no cost to patients.
“PCR testing is more accurate than traditional microscopy and critical for correct diagnosis, especially before administering an intensive eight-week antibiotic treatment,” she explained.
According to their findings, Buruli ulcer prevalence in Nigeria remains low compared to other African countries with most cases recorded in the humid southern states. Akinwale recommended that suspected but PCR-negative cases be screened for other diseases like yaws and called for increased grassroots sensitisation and active case searches in rural areas.
Akinwale lauded NIMR leadership and the WHO for continued support, noting that without these partnerships, many diagnostic services would be financially inaccessible to vulnerable populations.
However, she emphasised that the fight against NTDs is hampered by limited funding and the high cost of imported diagnostic materials. “We need more grant support and local capacity development to produce affordable diagnostic tools,” she added.
Despite their achievements, NIMR researchers underscored that limited funding, rising costs of imported reagents, and power instability are threatening to derail progress.
They called for increased government investment, public-private partnerships, and local manufacturing of diagnostic kits to sustain their efforts.
The Director General of NIMR, Prof. Oladapo Obafunwa, called on the public for support, “Government cannot fund research alone. We need support from the private sector, donors, and the power sector to understand that we are not just another consumer. We are saving lives.”
