ABSTRACT
In the present evaluation, a community of low socioeconomical conditions from Zulia State, Venezuela, was analyzed for the prevalence of antibodies to E. histolytica. Two hundred and eighty three serum samples were collected and examined by the indirect hemagglutination test according to a microtiter modification of the KESSEL and LEWIS method, as used by MILGRAM et al. Antigen prepared from axenically-grown. E. histolytica strain HK9 in Diamond's medium was used. The seropositivity rate obtained was 46.6% and the frequency of positive cases was dependent on age. The antibody profiles obtained suggest a high endemicity for this parasitic infection in the area studied, with a much higher level of transmission than invasive amebiasis.
Subject(s)
Amebiasis/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Amebiasis/diagnosis , Animals , Antibodies, Protozoan/analysis , Child , Child, Preschool , Entamoeba histolytica/immunology , Female , Hemagglutination Tests , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Random Allocation , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Venezuela/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A parasitologic survey of a low socioeconomic level community from Mara County, Zulia State, Venezuela was done. A single stool specimen per person from 327 individuals was obtained and examined by hematoxylin stained fecal smears and formol-ether concentrates. The overall parasitic infection rate was 92%. Multiple infections were present in 89% of the population. The amebic prevalence rate (APR) was 41.5%. Entamoeba histolytica was found in 9.2% of the individuals, most of them being asymptomatic. Haematophagous trophozoites were observed in two symptomatic cases. Entamoeba coli was the most frequent protozoan (23.5%). The APR was high in all groups. In males it was higher in 7-12 year old children and adolescents, and in females it was higher in adults. Giardia lamblia was the most frequent flagellate (18%) and among the helminths, Trichuris trichiura (82.8%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (74.6%). The high rates of parasitic infection, multiple parasitosis and amebic prevalence reflect the low socioeconomic conditions in the population.
Subject(s)
Entamoeba histolytica/isolation & purification , Eukaryota/isolation & purification , Feces/parasitology , Helminths/isolation & purification , Adolescent , Adult , Animals , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Socioeconomic Factors , Urban Health , VenezuelaABSTRACT
Se realizaron estudios serologicos y parasitologicos de amibiasis en dos comunidades suburbanas de bajas condiciones socioeconomicas de Maracaibo, Venezuela. Se obtuvieron muestras de sueros, las cuales se examinaron con la tecnica de hemaglutinacion indirecta y especimenes fecales que se estudiaron mediante frotis fecales tenidos con hematoxilina ferrica y concentrados segun el metodo del formol-eter.Las tasas de seropositividad obtenidas fueron de 12.1 y 29.2%, presentando titulos bajos la mayoria de los sueros positivos.El porcentaje de seropositividad aumento con la edad. Los examenes coprologicos revelaron tasas de infeccion con Entamoeba histolytica de 2.6 y 7.3%. Los resultados presentes indican que la importancia de la amibiasis en nuestra region varia de una comunidad a otra, dependiendo de los diversos factores asociados con cada una de ellas
