Abstract

POCATERRA A, Leonor A et al. Intestinal Parasites in Altragracia de la Montaña, Miranda State, Venezuela: Influence of the Program for Onchocerciasis Elimination. INHRR [online]. 2015, vol.46, n.1-2, pp.68-83. ISSN 0798-0477.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites and their epidemiological characteristics in four rural communities from Altagracia de la Montaña, Miranda State (Venezuela). A cross sectional study was conducted in February 2011 where 492 subjects were evaluated, mostly children. Informed consent was previously obtained. A clinical and epidemiological survey was done. Patients voluntarily brought a fresh stool sample for analysis with direct smear, Kato and agar culture; blood was extracted for eosinophil count. 60% of the evaluated people had at least one parasite transmitted by water or food contaminated by human or animal feces. The high prevalence of protozoa, specially Blastocystis sp., among those who live under poor living conditions such as inadequate feces disposal and low quality of drinking water, shows the persistence of intestinal parasites as a public health problem; nevertheless, indirect influence of ivermectin treatment every six months and health education with an ethnographic orientation given by the Onchocerciasis Elimination Programme in Bucarito, one of the evaluated communities, had an unexpected outcome not only diminishing the prevalence of helminthes but also the prevalence of intestinal protozoa, being this community under the same risk factors as the rest of the evaluated communities.

Keywords : prevalence; intestinal parasites; intestinal helminthes; intestinal protozoa; health education; onchocerciasis; ivermectin; Venezuela.

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