The Prevalence and Severity of Anemia Among Malaria Patients With and Without Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Three Health Facilities of Arba Minch Town, Southern Ethiopia, a Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Anemia is one of the severe clinical outcomes associated with concomitant infection of malaria and soil-transmitted helminths. It affects growth, physical fitness, and cognitive function, especially in children. The findings of previous studies done to assess the effect of malaria soil-transmitted helminths co-infection on anemia showed some variation. This indicates the need for further studies in different populations. Method An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at three Governmental Health Institutions, Arba Minch, and southern Ethiopia from November 2020- February 2021 on a total of 321 malaria-positive study participants. Thick and thin blood films were prepared for microscopic examination of malaria parasites and identification of species. Malaria parasite count was done to determine the intensity of the infection. Stool wet mount was done to identify soil-transmitted helminths. Kato-Katz was done for microscopic quantitative examination of soil-transmitted helminths. Complete blood cell count was done to determine hemoglobin level and anemia prevalence. Socio-demographic data was collected using questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done. Results Anemia prevalence in this study was 38.3% and it was higher in the malaria with multiple soil-transmitted helminth co-infection groups (55.1%). Co-infection status (AOR = 3.591, CI: 1.468–8.788, P = 0.005), hookworm infection (AOR = 1.632, CI: 1.027–2.593, P = 0.038), and its intensity, A.lumbricoides infection (AOR = 2.095, CI: 1.286–3.411, P = 0.003), and its intensity were significant predictors of anemia in this study. Malaria parasite density was significantly higher in malaria with multiple STHs co-infected study participants F (2, 318) = 20.075. It increased with increasing intensity of hookworm, T.trichiura, and number of co-infecting helminth species. But it decreased with increasing intensity of A.lumbricoides and S.mansoni. Conclusion this finding suggests that co-infection of multiple soil-transmitted helminth and malaria are associated with anemia and low Hgb levels, this indicates the importance of integrated disease control interventions.