Parasitosis con manifestaciones digestivas

Abstract

Infections due to gastrointestinal parasites in human beings have a worldwide distribution and an important impact on healthcare and high overall morbidity and mortality. Although they are more common in endemic areas of developing countries with few resources, immigration, travel, dietary changes, and food importation has increased the global incidence of these parasitic diseases. In the developed world, the incidence of infections due to protozoa is greater than those due to helminths. The clinical symptoms depend on the causative parasite, the location of the involvement, its local or disseminated invasion, and the host's immune status. The spectrum of involvements is also broad, from carriers who may remain asymptomatic for years to severe, fulminant cases to chronic, severe cases. To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to know the epidemiology, the parasite's life cycle, the etiopathogenesis, and the clinical manifestations and, in addition, other gastrointestinal diseases must be ruled out. At present, routine diagnostic techniques should be used together with advances in molecular diagnosis. This way, early treatment can be started to avoid complications, which can be severe; avoid chronicity of some infections; and prevent their transmission.