Prevalencia de parásitos intestinales en escolares de la Escuela Básica Estadal José Félix Blanco, estado Bolívar, Venezuela.

Intestinal parasitism in school-age children is one of the main medical problems In Venezuela. The prevalence of these infections is variable, but, in general, it is higher in school children. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in school children enrolled in the State Primary School Jose Felix Blanco, San Felix, Bolivar State, Venezuela. 274 children, between 6 and 15 years of age, were evaluated in February, 2006. A stool sample of each student was collected and analyzed by means of spontaneous sedimentation and formol-ether techniques. The prevalence of enteroparasites was 62.6% (174/278). No difference in age (X2= 2.388 f.d. = 4 p > 0.05) or gender (p > 0.05) was observed in the affected group. Eleven species of parasites and/or commensals were diagnosed. Among protozoan, Blastocystis hominis (44.6%) and Giardia lamblia (12.6%); and among helminths, Ascaris lumbricoides (15.5%) and Trichuris trichiura (11.5%) were the most common. In conclusion, a high prevalence of intestinal parasitism was found in the sample of school children evaluated, with predominance of protozoan, mainly B. hominis