Cryptosporidium sp. y otros parásitos intestinales en niños menores de 5 años con diarrea y su relación con las pruebas coprocualitativas / Cryptosporidium sp. and other intestinal parasites in children under 5 years old with diarrhea and their relationship to coproquilitative tests

Para determinar la presencia de Cryptosporidium sp. y otros parásitos intestinales; así como su relación con las pruebas coprocualitativas, se analizaron 100 muestras fecales de niños de 3 meses a 5 años de edad, que asistieron al Laboratorio de Parasitología del Servicio Autónomo del Hospital Universitario de Maracaibo (SAHUM) con diagnóstico clínico de diarrea. Estas muestras fueron sometidas a un examen macroscópico y microscópico con SSF (0,85%) y lugol, coloración de Kinyoun para la detección de coccidios intestinales y las pruebas coprocualitativas: sangre oculta, azucares reductores y pH. Del total de muestras estudiadas, el 12% evidenció parásitos. Las especies encontradas fueron Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia lamblia y Blastocystis hominis con 4%cada uno, Trichuris trichiura (2%), Ascaris lumbricoides (1%), Pentatrichomonas hominis (1%). No se encontró correlación entre las pruebas coprocualitativas y las especies parasitarias identificadas, así como tampoco entre parasitosis y sexo. Cryptosporidium sp. y Giardia lamblia fueron los parásitos patógenos más frecuentes en niños < 2 años de edad

To determine the presence of Cryptosporidium sp. and other intestinal parasites, as well as their relation to coproqualitative tests, fecal samples were analyzed from 100 children ranging from 3 months to 5 years old, who attended the Autonomous Service Parasitology Laboratory at the University Hospital of Maracaibo (SAHUM) with a clinical diagnosis of diarrhea. These samples were subjected to macroscopic and microscopic examination with SSF (0.85%) and iodine, Kinyoun stain for the detection of intestinal coccidia, coproqualitative tests (occult blood, reducing sugars and pH). Of all the samples studied, 12% evidenced parasites. The species found were Cryptosporidium sp. (4%), Ascaris lumbricoides (1%), Trichuris trichiura (2%) Pentatrichomonas hominis (1%), Giardia lamblia and Blastocystis hominis at (4%). There was no correlation between the coproqualitative tests and the parasitic species identified, nor was there any relation ship between parasitosis and gender. Cryptosporidium sp. and Giardia lamblia were the most frequent pathogenic parasites in children < 2 years old

Family planning in poverty-ridden Nicaragua.

PIP: The percentage of people living in poverty in Nicaragua's cities has increased significantly in recent years and reflects an increase in the number of households headed by women. Among the nongovernmental organizations created to help meet the needs of Nicaragua's population is Profamilia, the International Planned Parenthood Federation affiliate founded in 1971. Profamilia offers high quality sexual and reproductive health services at regional clinics operating in 9 out of 16 political subdivisions and manages a nationwide network of over 1000 community-based contraceptive distribution posts. Knowledge of modern contraception is almost universal in Nicaragua, and a 1992-93 health survey revealed that almost half of women of reproductive age were using contraception. Profamilia uses the mass media and other means to advertise its services, which are preferred by many over the free government services. In the communities, trained volunteer promoters distribute contraceptives and provide counseling. Because adolescent pregnancy and fertility rates are high, Profamilia has developed services, including educational workshops, that target youth. These workshops offer information on responsible sex behavior and ways to reduce the risk of pregnancy or infection. In addition, Profamilia offers training courses for teachers and educational sessions for parents, pregnant adolescents, and adolescent parents.^ieng

Working with the media in Peru.

PIP: The Peruvian Institute of Responsible Fatherhood (INPPARES) organizes an annual meeting for the media to present information on family planning (FP) and population issues and to influence public opinion. In addition, awards are presented acknowledging outstanding journalistic achievements in the area of FP. INPPARES has also organized three national journalist contests. This communication strategy has resulted in nationwide coverage of the issue on radio and television with experts in science and the health field. A number of stories related to FP have also appeared in the largest daily newspapers and magazines. A series of interviews were disseminated through Radio Comas, Radio El Sol, and Radio Victoria promoting the services of INPPARES. The magazine Telecolor published weekly articles written by INPPARES professionals promoting the services offered at the clinics. In 1993 these articles dealt with vasectomy, tubal ligation, adolescent pregnancy, and taboos of human sexuality. The newspaper Ojo published 56 eight-page supplements in 1995 on vasectomy, mortality due to pregnancy-related causes, and maternal mortality in the third world. The Rosa Cisneros Memorial Information Award of the International Planned Parenthood Federation aroused the interest of the country's journalists to focus on the issue of FP with some of them even specializing in this area of interest. INPPARES as a distinguished FP association received this award in 1995 for its efforts in communications. INPPARES also facilitates the access of low-income people to FP services. The attendant US$5000 prize was divided between the winners of the media and FP association categories.^ieng

Reaching remote areas in Latin America.

PIP: Poor communities in remote and inaccessible areas tend to not only be cut off from family planning education and services, but they are also deprived of basic primary health care services. Efforts to bring family planning to such communities and populations should therefore be linked with other services. The author presents three examples of programs to bring effective family planning services to remote communities in Central and South America. Outside of the municipal center in the Tuxtlas region of Mexico, education and health levels are low and people live according to ancient customs. Ten years ago with the help of MEXFAM, the IPPF affiliate in Mexico, two social promoters established themselves in the town of Catemaco to develop a community program of family planning and health care offering education and prevention to improve the quality of people's lives. Through their health brigades taking health services to towns without an established health center, the program has influenced an estimated 100,000 people in 50 villages and towns. The program also has a clinic. In Guatemala, the Family Welfare Association (APROFAM) gave bicycles to 240 volunteer health care workers to facilitate their outreach work in rural areas. APROFAM since 1988 has operated an integrated program to treat intestinal parasites and promote family planning in San Lucas de Toliman, an Indian town close to Lake Atitlan. Providing health care to more than 10,000 people, the volunteer staff has covered the entire department of Solola, reaching each family in the area. Field educators travel on motorcycles through the rural areas of Guatemala coordinating with the health volunteers the distribution of contraceptives at the community level. The Integrated Project's Clinic was founded in 1992 and currently carries out pregnancy and Pap tests, as well as general lab tests. Finally, Puna is an island in the middle of the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Women on the island typically have 10-14 pregnancies, families are extremely poor, and the population long had access to neither basic health services nor modern contraceptives and birth control. The Association for Ecuadorian Family Welfare (APROFE) realized the importance of finding some way to provide the residents of Puna with family planning, maternal and child health care, and primary health care. To that end, the organization built a fiberglass boat, installed modern equipment, and hired a doctor, nurse, and sociologist-educator trained in family planning and primary health care who now serve the population.^ieng

Encuesta epidemiologica sobre leishmaniasis cutanea. Un estudio en Merida, Venezuela. / Epidemiological survey of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Study in Merida, Venezuela

La revision de las historias clinicas del servicio dermatologico local revelo la existencia de un porcentaje significativo de leishmaniasis cutanea. A partir de alli se realizo una encuesta epidemiologica cuyos resultados podrian servir de base para establecer comparaciones con zonas ecologicas similares de Venezuela