Resumo

ACURERO DE YAMARTE, Ellen Mabel; CALCHI LA CORTE, Marinella; MERCHAN JIMENEZ, Flor María  e  USECHE, Patricia Elena. Prevalence of Blastocystis sp. in pre-school and school children of the Maracaibo Municipality, Venezuela. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2013, vol.33, n.2, pp.146-150. ISSN 1315-2556.

Seventy four fecal samples obtained from children of both sexes at an educational institution of the Maracaibo Municipality, Zulia State, with ages between 3 and 11 years, were analyzed in order to determine the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. Each sample was submitted to a direct coproparasitologic examination with an 0.85% saline solution, temporal lugol staining, and formalin-ether concentration method. Enteroparasite prevalence in the population studied was 41.9%, and of these, 80.6% corresponded to Blastocystis sp. Regarding this species and its association with an age group, a higher percentage of parasitized children was reported in the 10 years age group (9.4%), while parasitism by other species in all the population studied showed a 19.4% prevalence. There was predominance of the vacuolar evolutionary form, and the highest number of cases was seen in tarry stools. There was a significant relationship between parasitism variables and age, but not in the parasitism and sex variables. The high prevalence of this protozoan in school children indicates the need of evaluating the status of food and water supply hygiene.

Palavras-chave : Blastocytis sp; prevalence; pre-school children; school children; enteroparasites.

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