Intestinal parasites in children attending day-care centers in Vespasiano, Minas Gerais State

Authors

  • Thales A. Barçante
  • Daniela V. Cavalcanti Cavalcanti
  • Gislene A. V. Silva
  • Priscila B. Lopes Lopes
  • Reinaldo F. Barros
  • Gildo Pedro Pedro Ribeiro
  • Luiz Flávio Neubert
  • Joziana M. P. Barçante

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5216/rpt.v37i1.4029

Keywords:

Enteroparasites, Children, Day-care centers.

Abstract

Intestinal parasites are considered an important public health problem, especially in
low income groups whose hygiene and housing conditions are unsatisfactory. Among
individuals affected by these diseases, children are a relevant group since intestinal
parasitosis may aggravate underdevelopment, malnutrition and also increase the risk of infection and anemia. The occurrence of enteroparasites was verified in 176 children (1 to 5 years-old) of three municipal day-care clinics of Vespasiano/MG. Three samples of each child’s feces were collected and processed by the Ritchie method (Blagg / Formol ether). A prevalence of intestinal parasitism was verified in 22.7 % of the analyzed children, and the most frequent parasites were Entamoeba coli (57.5 %); Giardia duodenalis (40.0 %); E. histolytica/dispar (15 %); Trichuris trichiura (7.5 %); Ascaris lumbricoides (7.5 %); Enterobius vermicularis (2.5 %); Taenia sp. (2.5 %) and Hymenolepis sp. (2.5 %). Significant association was verified among intestinal parasitosis, family residence and sanitation. The high enteroparasite prevalence in day-care clinics suggests a complex epidemiology, where factors as basic sanitation and education should be considered.

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Published

2008-06-09

How to Cite

BARÇANTE, T. A.; CAVALCANTI, D. V. C.; SILVA, G. A. V.; LOPES, P. B. L.; BARROS, R. F.; RIBEIRO, G. P. P.; NEUBERT, L. F.; BARÇANTE, J. M. P. Intestinal parasites in children attending day-care centers in Vespasiano, Minas Gerais State. Revista de Patologia Tropical / Journal of Tropical Pathology, Goiânia, v. 37, n. 1, p. 32–42, 2008. DOI: 10.5216/rpt.v37i1.4029. Disponível em: https://revistas.ufg.br/iptsp/article/view/4029. Acesso em: 17 may. 2024.

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLES