HELMINTH AND PROTOZOA PARASITES ASSOCIATED WITH OFFICE DOOR HANDLES IN THE MAIN CAMPUS OF IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION PORT HARCOURT.

This study investigated the presence of helminth and protozoa parasites on office door handles at Ignatius Ajuru University, Port Harcourt, and assessed public health implications from March to May 2024.A total of 136 door handles across six school buildings were sampled using sterile swabs and analyzed for parasitic contamination.The sedimentation method was used for helminths, while the wet mount method was applied for protozoa, followed by microscopic examination.Results revealed that 52 (38.2%) door handles were contaminated.The most prevalent helminths were Ascaris sp.(13.3%),Trichuris sp.(8.8%), and Enterobius sp.(6.6%), while the most common protozoa were Giardia sp.(4.4%) and Entamoeba sp.(2.9%).The total parasite load was 377, with a Parasite Mean Intensity (PMI) of 7.3.Faculty of Education (46.15%) and Faculty of Management Science (46.43%) had the highest contamination rates.Helminths were more prevalent than protozoa, with Ascaris sp.being the dominant species.Risk factor analysis highlighted poor hygiene practices.About 85.2% of respondents never cleaned door handles, and 96.3% never disinfected them.While 68.5% washed hands after toilet use, 13.9% did not, and 17.6% did so inconsistently.Additionally, 46.3% were unsure if visitors washed hands, increasing contamination risks.These findings emphasize the need for regular cleaning and disinfection of high-contact surfaces, alongside promoting proper hand hygiene, to mitigate parasite transmission and protect the university community's health.