Abstract— We conducted a study to establish the environmental factors that favour the transmission of two Soil Transmitted helminthes, namely hookworm and ascariasis, in school age children in two districts, Luanshya and Nchelenge, of Zambia in July 2015. Soil samples were collected from selected sites in Nchelenge and Luanshya districts and analysed for chemical and physical properties. The climatic patterns for the two districts were also analysed. Nchelenge district lay at a lower altitude (934m) than Luanshya district (1218m). The average monthly temperatures were significantly higher for Nchelenge than Luanshya (P=0.004). Other climatic factors analysed were comparable between the two districts (P>0.05). Comparison of soil physical properties between the two districts demonstrated that Bulk density was significantly higher for Nchelenge district than Luanshya district (P=0.004), Solid was higher for Nchelenge than Luanshya (P=0.015), Moisture content was higher for Luanshya than Nchelenge (P=0.003), Clay content was higher for Luanshya than Nchelenge (P=0.005), Total Sand was higher for Nchelenge than Luanshya (P=0.024), while Silt content was comparable between the two districts (P>0.05). Comparison of the soil texture between the two districts demonstrated that Nchelenge significantly had more Sand soil than Luanshya while Luanshya had Loamy-sand soil than Nchelenge (P=0.005). Comparison of Soil chemical properties between the two districts revealed similarities in pH, Total Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Organic carbon, Organic matter, Total carbon, and Lead (P>0.05) while mineral contents were higher for Luanshya than Nchelenge for Magnesium (P=0.018), Manganese (P=0.003), and Copper (P=0.007).
Keywords— children, climate, helminthes, minerals, soil.
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