Keywords
Parasitic
Feces
Enterobius vermicularis
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
How to Cite
Abstract
Data on the prevalence of intestinal parasitoses are essential to take therapeutic and health measures in each population. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasitoses in pediatric and adult patients through the analysis of fecal samples and anal swabs processed at the clinical laboratory of a public hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which serves patients from both the city and the surrounding metropolitan area. A retrospective observational study was conducted analyzing fecal samples and anal swabs processed between January 2017 and March 2020. A total of 973 fecal samples and 791 anal swabs were analyzed. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites in fecal samples was 28.8 ± 20.0%, and anal swab positivity for Enterobius vermicularis was 13.9 ± 13.3%, with no differences between sexes. The most frequently identified species were Blastocystis sp. (46.0%), Giardia intestinalis (39.5%), and Entamoeba coli (15.4%), with polyparasitism observed in 16.0% of positive samples. The highest prevalence in fecal samples was observed in children aged 3–5 years (42.0 ± 28.6%). In the 11–16-year age group, a higher prevalence was observed among males (53.7 ± 6.6%). The highest prevalence of E. vermicularis was found in pediatric patients, particularly males aged 3–16 years. This study, based on a simple and accessible methodology suitable for low-complexity laboratories, provides relevant local epidemiological information that may support clinical and institutional decision-making.
References
1. Gil FF, Busatti GN, Cruz VL, Santos FG, Gomes MA. High prevalence of enteric parasites in urban slums of Belo Horizonte, Brazil: presence of enteroparasites as a risk factor in family groups. Pathog Glob Health. 2013;107(6):320-324, https://doi.org/10.1179/2047773213Y.0000000107
2. Theel ES, Pritt BS. Parasites. Microbiol. Spectr. 2016;4:4, https://doi.org/10.1128/microbiolspec.DMIH2-0013-2015
3. Borjas Mendoza P, Arenas Significación F, Angulo-Bazán Y. Enteroparasitismo en niños y su relación con la pobreza y estado nutricional. CIMEL. 2009; 14(1):49-54, https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/717/71720571008.pdf
4. Organización Panamericana de la Salud, Instituto de Vacunas Sabin. Llamado a la acción: hacer frente a los helmintos transmitidos por el suelo en Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Washington (DC): OPS; 2011. https://www.paho.org/es/documentos/llamado-accion-hacer-frente-helmintostransmitidos-
por-contacto-con-suelo-latino-0
5. Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Metas 2030 para los programas de control de las geohelmintiasis. Washington (DC): OPS; 2021. https://www.paho.org/es/documentos/metas-2030-para-programascontrol-geohelmintiasis
6. Beltramino D. Programa Nacional de Tratamientos Masivos Antiparasitarios.
Bol PROPATS-Remediar APS. 2004; 2(14). chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://e-legis-ar.msal.gov.ar/legisalud/migration/pdf/msres1691_2022.pdf
7. Navone GT, Zonta ML, Cociancic P, Garraza M, Gamboa MI, Giambelluca LA, et al. Estudio transversal de las parasitosis intestinales en poblaciones infantiles de Argentina. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2017;41:e24, https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2017.24
8. Socías ME, Fernández A, Gil JF, Krolewiecki AJ. Geohelmintiasis en la
Argentina: una revisión sistemática. Medicina (B Aires). 2014;74(1):29-36, https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/portal/resource/pt/bin-131976
9. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación Argentina. Geohelmintiasis en la República Argentina. Programa Nacional de Desparasitación Masiva.
Buenos Aires: PROAPS-Remediar; 2007 https://www.scribd.com/document/114224632/Ministerio-de-Salud-El-Programa-Remediar-2007
10. Astudillo OG, Bava AJ. Prevalencia de parasitosis intestinales en el Hospital de Enfermedades Infecciosas Dr. Francisco Javier Muñiz. Acta Bioquím Clín Latinoam. 2017; 51(4):681-686, https://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0325-29572017000400015
11. Ferioli S, Perazzo JM, Paulin P. Prevalencia de parásitos intestinales en
pacientes del Hospital de Pediatría Prof. Dr. Juan P. Garrahan, Argentina, 2018-2019. Acta Bioquím Clín Latinoam. 2020; 54(4):455-460, ttps://busqueda.bvsalud.org/portal/resource/fr/biblio-1149034
12. López Arias L, de la Fournière S, Helman E, Consiglio E, Etchemendy S, Farber M. Enteroparasitosis en población infantil del Municipio de Hurlingham, Buenos Aires. Medicina (B Aires). 2022;82(6):891-897. PMID: 36571528
13. Astudillo OG, Irazu L, Rodríguez M, Diego G, Cabrera M. Eficiencia diagnóstica del equipo Mini Parasep® SF. Acta Bioquím Clín Latinoam. 2019; 53(1):63-70, https://www.redalyc.org/journal/535/53559114028/html/
14. Forbes BA, Sahm DF, Weissfeld AS. Bailey & Scott’s Diagnostic Microbiology. 12th ed. St Louis (MO): Mosby Elsevier; 2007. p. 778-797.
15. Melgarejo-Touchet N. Parasitosis intestinal en adolescentes de 10-19 años en Asunción, Paraguay. Rev Inst Med Trop. 2019;14(1):29-39, https://doi.org/10.18004/imt/201914129-39.
16. Vieira GM, Dos Santos AGA, Venazzi EAS, Teixeira JJV, Fernandes ACB, Casavechia GN. Downward trend in prevalence of intestinal parasites in children over two decades, southern Brazil. Res Soc Dev. 2022;11(14):e63111436052, https://doi.org/10.33448/rsdv11i14.36052
17. Liseti SR, Iraima AG, Barón MA, Morón de Salim A, Sánchez JA. Asociación entre pobreza e infestación parasitaria intestinal. Kasmera. 2008;36(2):137-147, https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/3730/373062011002.pdf
18. Juárez M, Rajala VB. Parasitosis intestinales en Argentina: principales agentes causales. Rev Argent Microbiol. 2013;45(3):191-204, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0325-7541(13)70024-5
19. Fauziah N, Aviani JK, Agrianfanny YN, Fatimah SN. Intestinal parasitic infection and nutritional status in children under five years old: a systematic review. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2022; 7(11):371, https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed7110371
20. Wendt S, Trawinski H, Schubert S, Rodloff AC, Mössner J, Lübbert C. Diagnosis and treatment of pinworm infection. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2019;116(13):213-219, https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2019.0213
21. Gaafar MR. Use of pooled sodium acetate–acetic acid–formalin preserved fecal specimens. J Clin Lab Anal. 2011;25(3):217-222, https://doi.org/10.1002/jcla.2046122. Leung AKC, Leung AAM, Wong AHC, Sergi CM, Kam JKM. Giardiasis: an overview. Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2019;13(2):134-143, https://doi.org/10.2174/1872213X13666190618124901
23. Villa Jiménez OM, Escobedo Carbonell Á, Hano García OM, Wood Rodríguez L, Pérez Triana F, González Fabián L. Blastocystis hominis en pacientes celíacos sintomáticos. Acta Gastroenterol
Latinoam. 2012;42(3):175-181, https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=199324184008
24. Burgers K, Lindberg B, Bevis ZJ. Chronic diarrhea in adults: evaluation and differential diagnosis. Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(8):472-480. PMID: 32293842.
25. Popruk S, Adao DEV, Rivera WL. Epidemiology and subtype distribution of Blastocystis in humans: a review. Infect Genet Evol. 2021;95:105085, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105085
26. Garcia LS. Dientamoeba fragilis, one of the neglected intestinal protozoa. J Clin Microbiol. 2016; 54(9):2243-2250, https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00400-16