This cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the status of school-based water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) resources and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) in Odeda, Ogun State, Nigeria. The status and condition of WASH resources were determined in eight selected schools (three with WASH support and five without). Stool samples were also collected from 428 pupils from both school categories and screened for STH infections. Findings showed that water and sanitation conditions of WASH resource programming schools were better than those in schools without WASH support. However, pupils’ knowledge about STH infections and basic hygiene were not significantly different between both categories of school (P > 0·05). The prevalence of Hookworm, Ascariasis and Trichuriasis cases recorded were 26·2, 18·2 and 1·6% respectively, with an overall prevalence of 33·4%. By school categories, Ascariasis (14·9 vs 20·6), Hookworm (17·7 vs 32·0), Trichuriasis (1·7 vs 1·6) and, any STH prevalence (27·4 vs 37·5) were recorded for schools with WASH resource programming and those without respectively. A greater portion of the infected children 95 (66·4%) were from schools without WASH support. Our findings imply that WASH resource may have very positive impact on the control of STH among school children. However, there is need for improvement on coverage, adequacy and maintenance of WASH facilities in school.

This study assessed the impact of adding community-directed treatment (ComDT) to the routine health facility (HF)-based treatment on prevalence and intensity of soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections among children aged 12 to 59 months. Repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted among randomly selected children of this age group from the intervention area (HF+ComDT area) and the comparison area (HF area) at baseline (n=986), 12 months (n=796) and 18 months (n=788) follow-up. The prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides was significantly higher in the HF+ComDT as compared to the HF area at baseline (P=0·048), but not at 12 and 18 months follow-up. At baseline the HF+ComDT area had significantly higher intensities of A. lumbricoides compared to the HF area (P<0·001), but not at 12 and 18 months follow-ups. Prevalence and intensity of hookworm did not differ significantly between treatment arms at any time. Analysis of trends showed a significant decrease in prevalence of A. lumbricoides and hookworm in the HF+ComDT area (P<0·001), of hookworm in the HF area (P<0·05), but not of A. lumbricoides in the HF area. It is concluded that the ComDT approach generally enhanced the treatment effect among under-five year children and that this alternative approach may also have advantages in other geographical settings.