ABSTRACT
As a part of medical assistance activities, parasitological examination of fecal samples from 227 school children from a public institution of São Paulo (SP) revealed a rather high proportion of results positive for Blastocystis hominis. Other protozoan and worm species were markedly scarcer, a peculiar situation according to our judgement. It is acknowledged that blastocystosis is still largely an indefinite and controversial subject, which deserves adequate analysis to avoid drawbacks in the sphere of action of public health and general medical assistance.
Subject(s)
Blastocystis Infections/diagnosis , Blastocystis hominis/isolation & purification , Animals , Blastocystis Infections/epidemiology , Brazil/epidemiology , Child , Feces/parasitology , Humans , Parasite Egg CountABSTRACT
Em exame parasitológico de fezes de 227 alunos de escola pública de São Paulo (SP), encontramos 87 (38,3 por cento) positivas para Blastocystis hominis. A blastocistose ainda suscita controvérsias e indefinições, merecedoras de esclarecimentos sobretudo para evitar contratempos no âmbito da saúde pública e das atenções médico-assistenciais.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Child , Blastocystis hominis , Blastocystis Infections , Brazil , Feces , Parasite Egg CountABSTRACT
Blastocystosis is the infection caused by Blastocystis hominis. It is associated with frequent and unquestionably very important controversy and lack of definition, above all due to its implications for general assistance and medical care. In that connection, there is considerable disagreement on the subject of the pathogenicity of this protozoan, which should be categorically defined. Other aspects besides the above, require clarification through results from well conducted studies aiming at attributing Blastocystis hominis a proper role within the context of public health. Another matter worthy of attention is the diagnostic value of the parasitological stool examination, with the proviso that it is adequate, as are fecal smears suspended in saline solution or permanent mounts stained with iron hematoxylin or thionine. The use of inadequate techniques tends to produce false negative results, thereby impeding investigation into the real importance of this microorganism.
Subject(s)
Blastocystis Infections/diagnosis , Feces/parasitology , Animals , Child , Hematoxylin , HumansABSTRACT
Blastocistose é a infecçäo causada pelo Blastocystis hominis. Está relacionada com várias controvérsias e indefinições, sem dúvida muito importantes sobretudo pelas implicações médico-assistenciais que suscitam. A propósito, pendência expressiva diz respeito à patogenicidade do referido protozoário, que precisa ser categoricamente definida. Ao lado dessa particularidade outros assuntos exigem elucidações através de pesquisas bem conduzidas, para que a blastocistose fique devidamente situada no contexto da saúde pública. Aspecto também digno de atençäo é o diagnóstico pelo exame parasitológico de fezes, necessariamente executável por meio de métodos adequados, como o direto e os permanentes, exemplificados pelos que usam a a hematoxilina férrica ou a tionina. O emprego de técnicas impróprias propicia resultados falsos-negativos, conturbando o aconselhável bom conhecimento da real participaçäo do microrganismo em questäo
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Child , Blastocystis Infections , Feces , HematoxylinABSTRACT
By using a simple and easily available device which contains a 10% buffered formaldehyde solution, fecal samples are rendered odorless and can be stored at room temperature with no biosafety hazards. Cryptosporidium oocysts contained in such fecal samples can be identified without difficulty by using the Kinyoun method. This system permits an adequate preservation of the material, which facilitates the execution of tasks related to assistance and epidemiology.
Subject(s)
Cryptosporidium/isolation & purification , Feces/parasitology , Preservation, Biological/methods , Animals , Cattle , Parasite Egg CountABSTRACT
Por meio de dispositivo facilmente acessível que contém formol a 10 por cento tamponado, dispensa refrigeraçäo, permite execuçäo de maneira higiênica, evita o mau odor e garante biossegurança é possível evidenciar satisfatoriamente oocistos de Cryptosporidium em fezes, sendo utilizado o método de Kinyoun. O sistema possibilita conservaçäo adequada até durante período prolongado, facilitando a execuçäo de tarefas assistências e epidemiológicas
Subject(s)
Animals , Cattle , Cryptosporidium/isolation & purification , Feces/parasitology , Preservation, Biological/methods , Parasite Egg CountABSTRACT
It is recognized that breast feeding is an alternative means of transmission of Chagas disease. However, thermal treatment of milk can prevent this occurrence. As domestic microwave ovens are becoming commonplace, the efficacy of microwave thermal treatment in inactivating Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes in human milk was tested. Human milk samples infected with T. cruzi trypomastigotes (Y strain) from laboratory-infected mice, were heated to 63 ºC in a domestic microwave oven (2 450 MHz, 700 W). Microscopical and serological examinations demonstrated that none of the animals inoculated orally or intraperitoneally with infected milk which had been treated, got the infection, while those inoculated with untreated, infected milk, became infected. It was concluded that the simple treatment prescribed, which can easily be done at home, was effective in inactivating T. cruzi trypomastigotes contained in human milk
