Risk factors for intestinal parasitoses among children and youth of Buenos Aires, Argentina

ZONTA M L; TORRUSIO SE; COCIANCIC P; NAVONE G T

One Health

Elsevier

Año: 2019 vol. 9 p. 1 - 5

2352-7714

Introduction: Intestinal parasitoses affect millions of people worldwide, especially children of developingcountries. In Argentina, the prevalence of these infections varies among areas according to socio-economic andclimatic variability. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasitoses and risk factors in childand youth populations from neighbourhoods of La Plata (Buenos Aires province, Argentina) affected by occasionalfloods, including a serious flood in 2013.Methods: Serial stool samples and anal swabs of 398 individuals were processed using techniques of sedimentationand flotation. Socio-economic variables were surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire and theland use/cover was determined by classification of a satellite image.Results: Of all examined individuals, 70.9% were parasitized by at least one of the 12 parasites identified. Themost prevalent species were Blastocystis sp. (42.7%), Enterobius vermicularis (34.7%) and Giardia lamblia (17.6%).Infection risk factors included houses built with makeshift materials and dirt floors; lack of piped water andpublic waste collection service, bed-sharing and living in the non-urban area.>70.3% of the participants thatlived within