OCCURRENCE OF PROTOZOAN PARASITES IN WASTEWATER USED FOR IRRIGATION IN ILORIN
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Date
2025-06
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AMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL & APPLIED SCIENCES
Abstract
Parasitic infections pose a significant global health threat, particularly in developing countries where access to clean water and proper sanitation is often limited. Municipal wastewater, which is frequently reused for irrigation, often contains infective stages of parasites, posing a substantial risk to human health. Despite this, there is a lack of data on the protozoan parasites in wastewater in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State. This study addresses this knowledge gap on the protozoan parasites in wastewater used for irrigation. Water samples were collected from various irrigation sites and examined microscopically for protozoan parasites. The results revealed that 20.28% of the infective
stages of protozoan parasites, mainly Giardia, Cyptosporidium and Entamoeba, were recorded per litre of water. However, using clean water from borehole will reduce the level of prevalence as lower prevalence was significantly observed at Zango which served as the control site for the study. Aknowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) assessment further revealed that all respondents used contaminated water and were exposed to open defecation. While most farmers were aware of waterborne parasites and treated water before use, fewer buyers had such awareness, though many claimed to wash the products before resale. These findings indicate a substantial public health risk, particularly for communities relying on these water sources for agricultural irrigation. The study underscores the urgent need for enhanced wastewater treatment processes, sensitisation and better management practices to mitigate the health risks associated with wastewater reuse in agriculture. Continuous monitoring, awareness programme and the development of more effective treatment technologies are recommended to ensure the safety of agricultural practices in regions reliant on wastewater irrigation.