Abstract

CALCHI L.C, Marinella et al. Prevalence of Enteroparasites in Two Communities of Santa Rosa de Agua in Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela 2006. Kasmera [online]. 2007, vol.35, n.1, pp.38-48. ISSN 0075-5222.

To determine the prevalence of enteroparasites in two communities of Santa Rosa de Agua, Zulia State, 216 faecal samples from both male and female individuals were analyzed, whose ages ranged from 1 month to 73 years. A direct coproparasitological test was performed on each faecal specimen using physiological saline solution, temporary coloration with Lugol’s solution and Formol-Ether as a concentration method; to search for intestinal coccidian, Kinyoun tincture was applied. A statistical chi-square method was applied to analyze the results. A high percentage of individuals with parasites were observed (86.58%), predominantly polyparasitism (68.98%) associated with commensal and pathogenic species. Regarding the age group, the majority of those classified as young adults (20 to 39 years) were infected with parasites (20.83%). The ji-squared method demonstrated that there is no significant dependency between the presence of enteroparasites and sex (gender); when relating the age groups with parasite infections, a dependency between these two variables was found. The most frequent protozoan species were: Blastocystis hominis (64.07%), Entamoeba coli (26.73%), Giardia lamblia (22.45%). In terms of helminths, Trichuris trichiura (56.68%), Ascaris lumbricoides (44.09%), Hymenolepis nana (5,34%) had the highest incidence. It has been found that both communities in Santa Rosa de Agua show a high prevalence of parasites, a situation previously observed in some other communities with low or poor socio-sanitary and hygienic conditions.

Keywords : Enteroparasites; prevalence; Santa Rosa de Agua.