ABSTRACT
Con el objeto de recuperar e identificar contaminantes parasitarios se estudiaron muestras de suelo de todos los paseos públicos del área urbana de La Plata, Argentina. Se analizaron 23 paseos durante los meses de marzo y abril de 2000 y al mismo tiempo se evaluó el pH y la humedad de cada muestra. Se observaron 552 elementos parasitarios, 98 correspondieron a quistes de protozoos, 106 a huevos de helmintos y 348 a larvas de nematodos. Se demostró que los suelos de los paseos analizados estaban contaminados con parásitos de origen humano y animal
Subject(s)
Humans , Intestines , Soil Microbiology , Environmental Pollution , Argentina , Eukaryota , Helminths , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Nematoda , Parasite Egg Count , Recreational Zones , Urban AreaABSTRACT
The increasing environmental contamination affects the water quality, and is going to raise the waterborne intestinal infections such as giardiosis. This study determined the prevalence of g. lamblia infection in 1.201 persons of Gualeguaychú, Argentina. It was observed the relationship between giardiosis and the detection of g. lamblia in the recreational and drinking water and with homes environmental factors. General rate of infection was 19,7 percent. The group 2-11 years old was the highest (28,0 percent). No cysts of g. lamblia were found in drinking water, but recreational water was contaminated. Higher rate of infected persons lived in suburban dwellings with dirt floor, latrine, ground-water and close contact with dogs. It is concluded that to drink water is no risk-infection at present, but it will be if this community continues discharging excretsa into the river because this is the source of water for the habitants
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Giardia lamblia/isolation & purification , Giardiasis/epidemiology , Age Distribution , Animals, Domestic/parasitology , Causality , Feces/parasitology , Giardia lamblia/pathogenicity , Giardiasis/diagnosis , Giardiasis/etiology , Housing , Recreational Water , Sanitary Installations , Water MicrobiologyABSTRACT
A survey for intestinal parasites was performed on 38 individuals within the urban area of La Plata city (province of Buenos Aires, Argentina). This community is composed of brick-factory workers who also live in the factory premises. An analysis for intestinal parasites was done on fecal samples collected serially and by means of anal swabs and there after preserved in formol solution. At the same time, the ocurrence of the parasites under study as well as that of commensal organisms was investigated in water and soil samples within the factory environs. Information was also obtained from the members of this community as their age, sex, birthplace and recent travels, either abroad or to the interior of Argentina. The prevalence of the pathogens and commensal parasites was 89,5 percent. The frecuency of protozoans and helminths was: G. lamblia 26,3 percent; B. hominis 65,8 percent; A. lumbricoides 7,9 percent; H. nana 2,6 percent; uncinaria sp. 7,9 percent; S. stercoralis 2,6 percent and E. vermicularis 42,1 percent. None of these parasite or commensal organisms were present in the water samples investigated. Four out of 20 soil samples analyzed contained parasitic elements T. canis eggs (one); G. liamblia cysts (two) and A. lumbricoides eggs (one). These results indicated that most important factors causing such a high prevalence of coproparasites were the poor conditions of personal and community hygiene in combination with the frequent travels to the north and the northeast of the country, regions which are endemic parasitic areas. The implementation of programs on health education and communal sanitation would contribute in the control of this health problem
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant, Newborn , Infant , Child, Preschool , Adolescent , Adult , Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology , Suburban Population/statistics & numerical data , Age Distribution , Argentina/epidemiology , Drinking Water/analysis , Feces/parasitology , Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/transmission , Parasite Egg Count , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
Frequency of finding helminths eggs in canine stool samples collected in public places from La Plata city, Argentina