Abstract

SANGRONIS, María Virginia et al. Intestinal geohelminthiasis in pre-school and school children in a rural population: social-sanitary reality, Falcon State, Venezuela. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2008, vol.28, n.1, pp.14-19. ISSN 1315-2556.

Geohelminthiasis constitutes a public health problem, due to which its presence in pre-school and school children from the Macupita population, Falcon state, Venezuela, was studied through the Kato Katz technique. Clinical characteristics and social-economical conditions were evaluated. The social-economical status of family nuclei was established by the Graffar method, determining that 100% (p<0.05) of the population belongs to social stratus V. Geohelminthiasis frequency in school children was 64% (n=9) and 43% (n=6) in preschool children. The most reported geohelminth species were A. lumbricoides (41.1%), T. trichiura (23.5%), and  S. stercoralis (29.4%). In conclusion, the promotion of measures that contribute to improve the social-sanitary conditions are very important to control this pathology. It is suggested to continue the study increasing diagnostic methods and also including the animals that inhabit peri-household areas.

Keywords : Geohelminthiasis; Graffar; Ascaris lumbricoides; school children.