Eating Habits as a Risk Factor for Intestinal Parasites in Individuals from Belém-PA

Abstract

Food security is fundamental for the maintenance of health indicators of a population. Enteroparasites are often associated with ingestion of water and contaminated food. The high prevalence of parasitic infection in the northern region compared to other regions of Brazil, with similar characteristics: lack of sanitation infrastructure and exposure to poor socioeconomic conditions is a fact to be investigated, it would be the power of the individual considered a determining risk factor for these indices? In this study the association between dietary habits, environmental exposure and hygienic-sanitary factors to the prevalence of intestinal parasites was evaluated. They collected blood for serology, stool to faecal examinations and parasitological examination of individuals residing in Belem-PA. A health-food questionnaire was applied at the time leading up to the gathering. In 40% of the samples evaluated in the EPF was found some kind of parasite. The complex E. histolytica / E. dispar showed 9.7% positivity. Serology for amebiasis showed high positive (44.03%), confirming the endemicity of the disease in the region. Although the responses from the health-food questionnaire reveal low socioeconomic status of the population under study we found no association between any of the items evaluated with the highest prevalence of amebiasis or intestinal parasites. This study revealed, therefore, that diet and hygiene and inadequate health in a population even though they are important sources of contamination, can not be decisive for intestinal parasites. Possibly the individual behavior is an important factor in relation to dietary habits, environmental and / or hygienic-sanitary. Considering the great diversity of eating habits and training in health education in Brazil, other regions should be evaluated to confirm these results continuing to study.