Spatial distribution of intestinal parasites in child and young population of Argentina

STENSGAARD AS; MORGOGLIONE ME; CRINGOLI G; COCIANCIC P; VOUNATSOU P; MUSELLA V; NAVONE GT; RINALDI L; ZONTA ML; TORRUSIO SE

Brisbane

Simposio; 10th International Symposium on Geospatial Health; 2016

Gnosis

The epidemiology of geohelminths is related to environmental and socio-economic factors of the population. So far, few studies have been conducted on the geographic distribution of intestinal parasites among the human population in Argentina. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of soil transmitted helminths in child and young population of Argentina using geographical information systems (GIS). A cross-sectional study was performed in children and school-children (aged 1-16 years) attending schools of different provinces (Buenos Aires, Corrientes, Chubut, Entre Ríos, Formosa, Mendoza, La Pampa, Misiones and Salta). Serial stool samples and anal swabs (N=3743) were processed using techniques of concentration (including FLOTAC). Bivariate logistic regression models (location specific random effect) for each geohelminths were used to investigate the relationship between the parasitological results and variables (demography and environmental themes). These analyses were carried out in Stata software. Maps of geohelminths distribution were performed using ArcMap software. Geohelminths were more prevalent in Misiones province (23.3%) and these infections were absent in Chubut, La Pampa and Salta. Misiones province showed the highest prevalence for hookworms and Strongyloides stercoralis (16.2% and 11.1%, respectively) and Formosa province for Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura (7.0% for both). Hookworms were most frequent in males and children from 4 to16 years old (p0.6) and soil pH (p500 masl), precipitation (annual and summer season) and minimum temperature (p