Abstract

GUILLEN, Adalitza et al. Presence  of  intestinal  protozoans  in  water  of  consumption  in  “18  de  Mayo Community”. Aragua State-Venezuela. 2011. Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2013, vol.53, n.1, pp.29-36. ISSN 1690-4648.

The  transmission  of  intestinal  parasites  through water  represents  one  of  the  world’s  most  prominent  public health  problems.  Water  is  one  of  the  most  important renewable  resources  for  the  man,  for  its  usefulness, abundance  and  wide  distribution  in  the  nature,  but  human and  animal  excretion  contamination  in  potable  water  favors the transmission of parasitic infections. In order to determinate the presence of intestinal protozoans in drinking water from the deep-wells and in 10 selected houses in the 18 de Mayo community  of  Francisco  Linares  Alcantara  municipality, Aragua  State,  two  20  liter  water  samples  were  taken and processed  through  the  concentration  by  flocculation technique  for  direct  observation  using  physiological  saline solution  and  lugol,  and  the  Kinyoun  coloration  technique. Additionally,  physicochemical  analysis  was  conducted  on the well water. Pathogenic and commensal protozoans were observed in 90% of the analyzed samples. Cysts of Giardia intestinalis,  Entamoeba  coli  and  Endolimax  nana  were found in the deep-well sample but not intestinal coccidia and microsporidia. The disinfection of the well water that supplies this  community  is  really  important,  and  it  is  recommended that  the  community’s  drinking    water  be  routinely  treated.

Keywords : Water  of  human  consumption; intestinal protozoans; transmission.

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