RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Yupkpa community in Perijá Sierra does not have drinking water or sewage elimination systems. Thus it becomes a propitious place for infection with intestinal parasites. AIM: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in children, ages 0 to 14 years, in the Yukpa ethnic population of Toromo in the Perijá Mountains, Zulia State, Venezuela. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety one fecal samples were analyzed by the following coproparasitologic methods: saline solution and lugol fresh mount, formalin-ether concentration (Ritchie), and Kinyoun stain for intestinal coccidians. RESULTS: Overall parasite infection prevalence was 83.5%. The most frequently observed parasites were: Ascaris lumbricoides (57.1%), Trichuris trichiura (20.8%), Hymenolepis nana (14.2%), Blastocystis hominis (51.6%), Giardia lamblia (30.7%), and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar complex (21.9%). Coccidians were nont observed in any of the stool samples. CONCLUSIONS: The large number of infected people is directly related to the hygienic and sanitary conditions of the population studied.
Assuntos
Fezes/parasitologia , Helmintíase/epidemiologia , Indígenas Sul-Americanos , Enteropatias Parasitárias/epidemiologia , Infecções por Protozoários/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Animais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Helmintíase/etnologia , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Enteropatias Parasitárias/etnologia , Enteropatias Parasitárias/parasitologia , Masculino , Prevalência , Infecções por Protozoários/etnologia , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Venezuela/epidemiologia , Venezuela/etnologiaRESUMO
Background: Yupkpa community in Perijá Sierra does not have drinking water or sewage elimination systems. Thus it becomes a propitious place for infection with intestinal parasites. Aim: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in children, ages 0 to 14 years, in the Yukpa ethnic population of Toromo in the Perijá Mountains, Zulia State, Venezuela. Material and Methods: Ninety one fecal samples were analyzed by the following coproparasitologic methods: saline solution and lugol fresh mount, formalin-ether concentration (Ritchie), and Kinyoun stain for intestinal coccidians. Results: Overall parasite infection prevalence was 83.5%. The most frequently observed parasites were: Ascaris lumbricoides (57.1%), Trichuris trichiura (20.8%), Hymenolepis nana (14.2%), Blastocystis hominis (51.6%), Giardia lamblia (30.7%), and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar complex (21.9%). Coccidians were nont observed in any of the stool samples. Conclusions: The large number of infected people is directly related to the hygienic and sanitary conditions of the population studied.