Parasitic Infections Among Patients Admitted for Acute Diarrhoea at a Secondary Health Facility in Taraba State

Diarrhoeal diseases caused by intestinal parasites constitute a significant proportion of admissions in secondary healthcare facilities across Nigeria's Northeast zone. This descriptive study characterised the parasitic causes of acute diarrhoea among patients admitted to a secondary health facility in Taraba State. A total of 180 stool samples were collected from paediatric and adult patients presenting with acute diarrhoea lasting less than two weeks. Samples were examined by direct microscopy and formal-ether concentration, while modified acid-fast staining was used for Cryptosporidium detection. Epidemiological data were obtained through structured clinical interviews. Protozoan infections accounted for 64.5 percent of parasitic diagnoses, with Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica as the leading causative organisms. Cryptosporidium species was identified in 14.3 percent of samples, predominantly in children under five and immunocompromised adults. Age below five years and absence of household toilet facilities were the strongest predictors of parasitic diarrhoea. The study advocates for improved diagnostic capacity at secondary health facilities and reinforcement of oral rehydration and antiparasitic treatment protocols in Taraba State. Keywords: parasitic diarrhoea, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, secondary health facility, Taraba State.