Assessment of Infection Control Practices Relevant to Parasitology in Selected Hospitals in Edo State

Healthcare-associated parasitic infections, though less frequently studied than bacterial and viral healthcare-associated infections, represent a real risk in settings with inadequate infection control, particularly for Cryptosporidium and Entamoeba species. This study assessed infection control practices relevant to parasitology in 10 public and private hospitals in Benin City, Edo State, South South Nigeria. A structured audit tool adapted from WHO infection prevention and control guidelines was applied across inpatient wards, laboratory units, and food preparation areas. Observational data were supplemented by interviews with infection control officers and nursing supervisors. Compliance with hand hygiene protocols before stool sample handling was below 50 percent in six of ten facilities assessed. Isolation protocols for patients presenting with parasitic diarrhoea were absent in eight facilities. Food preparation areas in three facilities showed evidence of poor sanitary conditions amenable to intestinal parasite transmission. Documented infection control training for clinical staff had not been conducted within the preceding 12 months in 70 percent of facilities. The study recommends development of hospital-specific parasitological infection control guidelines, mandatory staff training, and integration of parasitological outcomes into routine infection control auditing in Edo State. Keywords: infection control, hospital parasitology, Cryptosporidium, Edo State, healthcare-associated infection.