Surveillance of school children prevalence of infectious parasites in beach camp at Gaza, Palestine.

A health impact study was requested and carried out by The Environment Protection and Research Institute (EPRI) in collaboration with United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) The 1^st phase of the Health Impact study started 1994 by identifying the optimum sample size of kindergartens and school children for infectious parasite analysis, sites to measure the fly index, the rat index, and the water samples for microbial examination. Besides, training of the staff who are contacting the concerned personal in the community; kindergartens, and Schools was carried out. After the end of the second phase of the study in August 1999, the data revealed that the prevalence of Ascariasis and other intestinal parasites was 36.5 for both kindergarten and I < elementary class children The parasitic infections in girls was 36.3 and in boys was 35.3 Giardia lambalia and Ascarid were the more abundant parasite 41-42% respectively followed by Entameba histolytica, Trichuris trichuris and Strongiloidis stercorals (12%, 4%, 1%) respectively The average number of flies per m² / minute (fly index) was 27. The average number of rats captured per day per house (Rat index) was one Rat / day/ house All the water samples examined for E. coli index were negative The number of diarrheal cases (0-3 years) per week were 15 cases. The number of Dysentery cases per week was 2-8 cases. Health education campaign was launched by the EPRI in cooperation with UNRWA, Health Dept. and the local community. This effort together with the encouragement of upgrading sanitation conditions was reflected in the position improvement of sanitary conditions in the Beach camp during the second phase (1999) of this study compared to the base line in 1994