Abstract
To evaluate intestinal parasitosis, undernutrition and socio-environmental factors in schoolchildren from Clorinda (Formosa, Argentina). Serial fecal samples and anal swabs of 114 schoolchildren, canine feces and soil samples were analyzed. Body weight and height of 215 schoolchildren were measured and undernutrition was estimated according to the World Health Organization criteria. Socio-environmental variables were assessed by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. 78.1% of children were infected by at least one of the 12 species identified and 70.8% had multiple parasitic infections. Blastocystis sp., Giardia lamblia and Enterobius vermicularis were the most prevalent. Additionally, 17.5% of children were infected by at least one geohelminth (e.g. Ascarislumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, hookworms). 64.3% of canine of canine feces were positive and six parasitic species were found; the most frequent were Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala and G. lamblia. Furthermore, 37.5% of soil samples showed zoonotic parasites (i.e. Ascaris sp., Toxocara sp.). Finally, 10.0% of the children were undernourished and 85.7% of them had parasites. The risk for parasitosis was higher in children that lived in houses with inadequate solid waste disposal and whose parents were unemployed or had temporary jobs. The lack of environmental sanitation, unstable employment of parents and the presence of zoonotic species were the most relevant factors observed. Consequently, these conditions result in an increase of parasitic infections and negatively influence the growth of children.
Highlights
Infection by pathogenic species was higher than infection by non-pathogenic species (76.3% vs. 1.8%), and the most prevalent were Blastocystis sp. (57.9%), Giardia lamblia (36.8%) and E. vermicularis (19.3%)
The analysis of each parasitic species showed that the risk of infection by Blastocystis sp. and G. lamblia was greater in children whose parents were unemployed or had temporary jobs (OR=3.8, 95% confidence intervals (CI)=1.04-13.9 and odds ratio (OR)=15.7, 95% CI=1.6-154.4, respectively)
Studies in Venezuela and Paraguay reported a lower prevalence (63% and 35%, respectively) [19,20], but similar or slightly higher prevalence in studies performed in other Latin American countries. [21,22] In Argentina, prevalence was not uniform either since the distribution of parasitic infections changed according to region: values were over 80% in the north [16,23], between 60% and 70% in the center [24,25], and lower than 40% in the south [8]
Summary
Population and study area The study was carried out in children of both sexes from school No 372 in Clorinda. The school has 350 primary school students coming from peripheral neighborhoods. Clorinda (in the department of Pilcomayo, province of Formosa) (25°17'S, 57°43'W) is a city located in the north-east of Argentina bordering Paraguay (Figure 1). The climate of the area is subtropical with an average annual temperature of 24°C, a marked seasonal variation and annual rainfall that can exceed 1 200 mm. Soils are clay-slime with poor to imperfect drainage.
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