Prevalence of intestinal parasites was investigated in rural primary school children in Famaillá city, Tucumán province, Argentina. Stool specimens from 149 school children were collected. The prevalence rate of intestinal parasite infections was 86.6%. No significant differences were observed in the distribution by age or by sex. Blastocystis hominis was the most commonly found protozoan parasite (54.4%), followed by Entamoeba coli (35.6%), Giardia lamblia (24.8%), and others (16.7%). Enterobius vermicularis was the most prevalent intestinal helminth (27.5%), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (20.8%), Trichuris trichiura (12.8%), and others (5.4%). Most of the patients had polyparasitism (62.4%), and protozoan infections prevailed over helminthic infections. These results show high rates of parasitism in the school children of Famaillá, which would be associated with socioeconomic factors and poor environmental sanitation conditions in this area. 1. Introduction The World Health Organization states that primary school children population is the most vulnerable group to acquire infection diseases such as parasites while their development is related to the environmental contamination as well as to the quality of consumed food [1]. From an epidemiological, socioeconomical, and ecological point of view, the county populations possess favourable conditions that allowed children to acquire intestinal infections with a greater frequency. Particularly, in Famaillá city, in the province of Tucumán, Argentina, there is little information related with epidemiologic data on children parasitoses. For that reason, the present work deals with the study of parasite-related infections detected in primary school students from the Institution no. 124, in Famaillá. The aim of this work was to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasites in the former population in order to obtain accurate epidemiological data that can be used to program prevention schemes in this particular age group. 2. Materials and Methods For the cohort study, a group of 149 children from kindergarten and primary level of the school no. 124, Famaillá city, Tucumán, was selected and monitored through the summery station. Famaillá, located 30?Km in the south of Tucumán capital district, has 32.000 habitants. The Famaillá district is situated in the central area of the province, limited at the North with the Lules district, at the East with the Leales district, at the South with the Monteros district, and at the West with the Tafí del Valle district. The personal affiliation (name, sex, and age) of each
References
[1]
World Health Organization, World health assembly, Resolution WHA 54. 19, 2001.
[2]
D. M. Melvin and M. M. Brooke, Laboratory Procedures for the Diagnosis of Intestinal Parasites, Laboratory Training and Consultation Division, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga, USA, 3rd edition, 1982, DHEW Publication [CDC] 82-8282.
[3]
L. S. Garcia, D. A. Bruckner, T. C. Brewer, and R. Y. Shimizu, “Techniques for the recovery and identification of cryptosporidium oocysts from stool specimens,” Journal of Clinical Microbiology, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 185–190, 1983.
[4]
K. Koga, S. Kasuya, C. Khamboonruang et al., “A modified agar plate method for detection of Strongyloides stercoralis,” American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 518–521, 1991.
[5]
C. Lopez, M. Cabrera, and J. R. Dib, “Prevalence and infection due to intestinal parasite in children who live in the bank of Canal Norte, S. M. de Tucumán, Argentina,” Biocell, vol. 28, p. 96, 2004.
[6]
G. L. Silvia, A. Christian, O. Juana, and N. G. Silvia, “Alarming levels of infection by enteric parasites in children of Burruyacu, Province of Tucumán, Argentina,” International Journal of Tropical Medicine, vol. 1, pp. 40–43, 2006.
[7]
S. Bontti, “Enteroparasitoses en el Departamento de Lavalle, Mendoza,” Medicina, vol. 59, 3, pp. 40–41, 1999.
[8]
A. M. F. Milano, E. B. Oscherov, A. C. Palladino, and A. R. Bar, “Children enteroparasitosis in North East Argentine urban area,” Medicina, vol. 67, no. 3, pp. 238–242, 2007.
[9]
R. Mercado, D. Castillo, V. Mu?os et al., “Infecciones por protozoos y helmintos intestinales en pre-escolare y escolares de la Comuna de Colina, Santiago, Chile,” Parasitología Latinoamericana, vol. 58, pp. 173–176, 2003.
[10]
M. Cabrera, M. Verástegui, and R. Cabrera, “Prevalencia de enteroparásitos en una comunidad altoandina de la Provincia de Victor Fajardo, Ayacucho, Perú,” Revista de Gastroenterología del Perú, vol. 25, pp. 150–155, 2005.
[11]
C. I. Menghi, F. R. Iuvaro, M. A. Dellacasa, and C. L. Gatta, “Investigación de parásitos intestinales en una comunidad aborigen de la provincia de Salta,” Medicina, vol. 67, no. 6, pp. 705–708, 2007.
[12]
R. A. Devera, V. J. Velásquez, and M. J. Vasquez, “Blastocystosis en pre-escolares de Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela,” Cadernos de Saúde Pública, vol. 14, pp. 401–407, 1998.
[13]
K. X. Wang, C. P. Li, J. Wang, and Y. B. Cui, “Epidemiological survey of Blastocystis hominis in Huainan City, Anhui Province, China,” World Journal of Gastroenterology, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 928–932, 2002.
[14]
J. H. Park, E. T. Han, W. H. Kim et al., “A survey of Enterobius vermicularis infection among children on Western and Southern coastal islands of the Republic of Korea,” The Korean Journal of Parasitology, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 129–134, 2005.
[15]
P. Okyay, S. Ertug, B. Gultekin, O. Onen, and E. Beser, “Intestinal parasites prevalence and related factors in school children, a Western city sample-Turkey,” BMC Public Health, vol. 4, article 64, 2004.
[16]
O. M. Agbolade, N. C. Agu, O. O. Adesanya et al., “Intestinal helminthiases and schistosomiasis among school children in an urban center and some rural communities in Southwest Nigeria,” The Korean Journal of Parasitology, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 233–238, 2007.
[17]
V. J. Adams, M. B. Markus, J. F. A. Adams et al., “Paradoxical helminthiasis and giardiasis in Cape Town, South Africa: epidemiology and control,” African Health Sciences, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 131–136, 2005.
[18]
S. M. Valperga, L. Pérez, and C. A. Nava, “Helmintiasis intestinales en habitantes del ex departamento Famaillá (Provincia de Tucumán),” Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Tucumán, vol. 12, pp. 18–24, 1979.
[19]
M. T. Anantaphruti, S. Nuamtanong, C. Muennoo, S. Sanguankiat, and S. Pubampen, “Strongyloides stercoralis infection and chronological changes of other soil-transmitted helminthiases in an endemic area of southern Thailand,” Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 378–382, 2000.
[20]
N. J. Taranto, S. P. Cajal, M. C. De Marzi et al., “Clinical status and parasitic infection in a Wichí Aboriginal community in Salta, Argentina,” Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, vol. 97, no. 5, pp. 554–558, 2003.
[21]
Y. Sato, J. Kobayashi, H. Toma, and Y. Shiroma, “Efficacy of stool examination for detection of Strongyloides infection,” American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 248–250, 1995.
[22]
Z. S. Pawlowski, “Epidemiology, prevention and control,” in Strongyloidiasis: A Major Roundworm Infection of Man, D. I. Grove, Ed., pp. 233–249, Taylor & Francis, London, UK, 1989.