Enteroparasitoses and toxocarosis affecting children from Mar del Plata city, Argentina.

CARLA LAVALLÉN; BEATRIZ BRIGNANI; KARINA RIESGO; AMALIA ROJAS; GABRIELA COLACE; MARTÍN BISCAYCHIPI; ESTELA CHICOTE; CRISTIAN GIUNTINI; MARIELA KIFER; MARÍA EUGENIA DEL RÍO; GUILLERMO DENEGRI; MARCELA DOPCHIZ

ECOHEALTH

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2017 vol. 14 p. 219 - 233

1612-9202

This study evaluated the existence of enteroparasitoses and toxocarosis in children of peripheral(PC) and urban communities (UC) from Mar del Plata city (Argentina) and their associations with socioenvironmental conditions. A Parasite Vulnerability Index (PVI) was elaborated using variables such as overcrowding, floor type, drinking water source, wastewater disposal, solid waste disposal, presence of animals andschooling level. The PC evidenced statistically significant higher frequencies of families with high (38.9%) andmedium (55.5%) PVI, while in the UC low PVI (93%) was the most frequent. A statistically significant higherfrequency of PC children was parasitized (30.2 vs. 14.5%; v2 Pearson = 5.21; P < 0.05), presented higherparasite frequencies, specific richness, parasitic loads, and they also evidenced polyparasitism. The MultipleCorrespondence Analysis (MCA) showed associations between PC-parasitized children, overcrowding andcontact with pets and farm animals. The ELISA test to the specified determination of Toxocara canis IgG wasreactive in a statistically significant higher proportion of PC children than the UC (55 vs. 8.5%; v2 = 30.5;P < 0.01). The MCA associated PC reactive children, not adequate hand washing, moderate and hypereosinophilia and contact with pets and farm animals. Deficient socio-environmental conditions became childrenmore vulnerable to get enteroparasitoses and toxocarosis in the PC than in the UC