Research Article
Household Environmental Contamination with Soil-transmitted Helminths and Its Determinants Among Residents of Peri-urban Areas in Jimma City, Oromia, Ethiopia
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 2, June 2025
Pages:
31-39
Received:
12 May 2025
Accepted:
5 June 2025
Published:
25 June 2025
Abstract: Introduction: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common and widespread neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Ethiopia and globally. They are transmitted by eggs present in human faeces, which contaminate the soil in areas where sanitation is poor. This study aimed to determine soil contamination rate, and associated risk factors among residents of Peri-urban kebeles in Jimma city, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021 Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Peri-urban kebeles of Jimma city from May to June 2021. A total of 459 soil samples were collected from 153 households compounds (children’s playground, toilet area, and Refused dumps site) using a systematic random sampling. The collected soil samples were then examined microscopically using optimized soil straining flotation method. Data on Socio-demographic and predisposing factors were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and checklist. The data were entered into Epidata and exported to SPSS for further analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize household characteristics. Logistic regression was performed to determine the risk factors associated with STH contamination. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The overall soil contamination rate in at least one location within a household was 39.2% with Ascaris was being the predominant species (35.9%). The most contaminated site with any of the Soil-transmitted helminth eggs was the refuse damp site (21.6%) followed by the Toilet area (18.3%), and the children’s playground (7.8%). Multivariate analysis confirmed that unimproved toilet facilities, having a domestic animal, and self-reported history of STH infection were a significant predictors of soil contamination with Soil-transmitted helminths. Conclusion and recommendation: The current study finding indicated that STH eggs were prevalent in the environments of a peri-urban community of Jimma city. This wide range of soil contamination suggested that the community was at a high risk of acquiring STH infection. This suggests a need to strengthening the existing comprehensive approaches aimed to prevent and control STH infection and STH environmental contamination. These approach should focus on large scale deworming to reduce the infection burden, improving WASH to reduce environmental contamination and promoting health education aimed to alter behavior to reduce environmental contamination and risk of infection.
Abstract: Introduction: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common and widespread neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Ethiopia and globally. They are transmitted by eggs present in human faeces, which contaminate the soil in areas where sanitation is poor. This study aimed to determine soil contamination rate, and associated risk ...
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Research Article
Radio Frequency Absorption-based Non-invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring: Development and Characterization of a Compact Antenna System
Dipankar Sutradhar*
,
Durlav Hazarika
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 2, June 2025
Pages:
40-51
Received:
5 June 2025
Accepted:
4 July 2025
Published:
15 July 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijbse.20251302.15
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Abstract: This work proposes a method of non-invasive blood glucose measurement based on the absorption properties of radio frequency signals as they pass through biological tissues. The core idea is that certain radio frequencies (RF) frequencies within the very high frequency (VHF) range interact differently with tissue depending on glucose concentration, altering signal strength in detectable ways. To investigate this, a series of experimental analysis are conducted on RF signal propagation throughout multiple mediums similar to human tissue indicating a particular frequency band which is sensitive to variations in glucose levels. Within this band, two resonant frequencies 156 MHz and 189 MHz are selected for in-depth study. In this context, a compact and low cost printed antenna is designed, simulated, fabricated, and characterized to operate efficiently at these frequencies. A measurement system, comprising transmitting and receiving antennas, records received signal strength (RSS) variations at the resonant frequencies, both with and without a fingertip present in the sensing region. Rather than using the raw signal strength values recorded during the investigation, a differential measurement approach is employed to enhance sensitivity and reliability. These variations in RSS are then compared with glucometer readings. The clinical trial includes eight volunteers whose participation provide the dataset used for evaluating system performance. A polynomial regression analysis shows moderate accuracy (R² = 0.5850). These results exhibit the potential of this non-invasive, RF-based method for continuous glucose monitoring. With further refinement, this technique could offer a practical, painless alternative to conventional invasive procedures that might completely transform diabetes control.
Abstract: This work proposes a method of non-invasive blood glucose measurement based on the absorption properties of radio frequency signals as they pass through biological tissues. The core idea is that certain radio frequencies (RF) frequencies within the very high frequency (VHF) range interact differently with tissue depending on glucose concentration, ...
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