SUMMARYThe lack of specific laboratorial diagnosis methods and precise symptoms makes the toxocariasis a neglected disease in Public Health Services. This study aims to determine the frequency of Toxocara spp. infection in children attended by the Health Public Service of Hospital Municipal de Maringá, South Brazil. To evaluate the association of epidemiological and clinical data, an observational and cross-section study was carried out. From 14,690 attended children/year aged from seven month to 12 years old, 450 serum samples were randomly collected from September/2004 to September/2005. A questionnaire was used to evaluate epidemiological, clinical and hematological data. An ELISA using Toxocara canis larval excretory-secretory products as antigen detected 130 (28.8%) positive sera, mainly between children from seven month to five years old (p = 0.0016). Significant correlation was observed between positive serology for Toxocara, and frequent playing in sandbox at school or daycare center (p = 0.011) and the presence of a cat at home (p = 0.056). From the families, 50% were dog owners which exposed soil backyards. Eosinophilia (p = 0.776), and signs and symptoms analyzed (fever p = 0.992, pneumonia p = 0.289, cold-like symptoms p = 0.277, cough p = 0.783, gastrointestinal problems p = 0.877, migraine p = 0.979, abdominal pain p = 0.965, joint pain p = 0.686 and skin rash p = 0.105) could not be related to the presence of anti-Toxocara antibodies. Therefore, two asthmatics children showed titles of 1:10,240 and accentuated eosinophilia (p = 0.0001). The authors emphasize the needs of prevention activities.

The presence of helminths and protozoans in public squares and lawns of the city of Maringá, southern Brazil, during winter and summer was assessed in order to evaluate their seasonal fluctuations in relation to edaphic and climatic factors. Samples were collected from January 2003 through June 2004 in 90% (13) of all public squares covered by sand, and in 30% (4) of all lawns used as leisure areas. The samples were analysed quantitatively by modified centrifugal-flotation and sedimentation in water techniques, and qualitatively by a method based on positive larval thermo-hydrotropism. Meteorological data were recorded, and physical, chemical and structural characteristics of the soil were analysed. One hundred and thirty samples of sand from squares, 65 in summer and 65 in winter, and 40 samples of grass from lawns, 20 in each season, were collected. All samples from lawns, 62 (95.38%) from squares in winter and 45 (69.23%) in summer, contained protozoans and/or helminths. Eggs of Toxocara spp. were the most frequently observed parasites in both winter and summer in squares (P < 0.0001) and in lawns (P = 0.6142), being equally distributed among the different locations (P = 0.2038). Species diversity was lower in winter; fewer parasites were found in summer. This region, with a tropical climate and a mild winter dry season, has favourable edaphic and climatic conditions for soil contaminants to persist year-round. In addition, the high frequency of animals such as dogs and cats and the poor sanitary measures in force made it possible for zoonoses to be transmitted in the public spaces.

SUMMARYToxocariasis is a worldwide public-health problem that poses major risks to children who may accidentally ingest embryonated eggs of Toxocara. The objectives of this study were to investigate the occurrence of anti-Toxocara spp. antibodies in children and adolescents and the variables that may be involved, as well as environmental contamination by Toxocara spp. eggs, in urban recreation areas of north central mesoregion, Paraná State, Brazil. From June 2005 to March 2007. a total of 376 blood samples were collected by the Public Health Service from children and adolescents one to 12 years old, of both genders. Samples were analyzed by the indirect ELISA method for detection of anti-Toxocara antibodies. Serum samples were previously absorbed with Ascaris suum antigens, and considered positive with a reagent reactivity index ≥1. Soil samples from all of the public squares and schools located in the four evaluated municipalities that had sand surfaces (n = 19) or lawns (n = 15) were analyzed. Of the 376 serum samples, 194 (51.6%) were positive. The seroprevalence rate was substantially higher among children aging one to five years (p = 0.001) and six to eight years (p = 0.022). The clinical signs and symptoms investigated did not show a statistical difference between seropositive and seronegative individuals (p > 0.05). In 76.5% of the investigated recreation places, eggs of Toxocara were detected in at least one of the five collected samples. Recreation areas from public schools were 2.8 times more contaminated than from public squares. It is important to institute educational programs to inform families and educators, as well as to improve sanitary control of animals and cleaning of the areas intended for recreation in order to prevent toxocariasis.

and Entamoeba coli (4%-4.7%) were the most frequent protozoa found in the hemodialysis patients. Parasitism was not significantly associated with diarrhea (p=0.9947) or with decreased white blood cell counts (p=0.7046) in these individuals. Because parasitic infections may be an important comorbidity factor in hemodialysis patients, we suggest that parasitological stool examinations, especially for Blastocystis sp. and Cryptosporidium sp., be included in routine medical follow-up examinations of these patients.

Few studies have assessed the contamination of vegetables at Brazilian production sites. From April 1996 to December of 1997, the sanitary conditions of raw consumed vegetables sold in the Feira do Produtor de Maringá were investigated. We based the analyses on the contamination of vegetables, of the producers (stool samples and material under the fingernails) and of the water used for irrigation. It was observed that 16.6% of 144 samples of five different types of vegetables were contaminated with intestinal parasites. Forty three of 163 individuals (26%) were infected with one or more parasites. Only three of the 49 samples of material under the fingernails analyzed were positive for intestinal parasites. Analysis of samples of the water used for vegetable irrigation showed that the water did not satisfy bacteriological standards of potability. We conclude that in the investigated area the contamination of vegetables occurred during the production phase and that a sanitary education campaign directed at the producers is needed.

SUMMARYThis study reports on the occurrence of enteroparasites based on data from an ethnographic study of food handlers in the city of Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil. Fecal material from 343 food handlers of both sexes, between 14 and 75 years of age, was analyzed using Lutz, modified Ritchie and Ziehl-Neelsen techniques. Ethnographic relationships were investigated by means of specific questionnaires. Positive fecal samples were found for 131 (38.2%) handlers. Endolimax nana (67.9%) was the predominant species, followed by Entamoeba coli (35.9%), Blastocystis hominis (28.2%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (10.1%) and Giardia duodenalis (8.4%). Protozoan infections were more common than helminth infections (p = 0.00). The positive results for some parasites were associated with the male sex, professional category, and the performance of other activities (p ≤ 0.05). The high overall occurrence of enteroparasites found indicates improper hygiene and sanitation conditions. Effective educational measures should be implemented to prevent the transfer of pathogenic organisms to food via handling.

The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in a public water-treatment system and to relate the results to physical, chemical, bacteriological and climate parameters. From March to September 2006, 30 samples, 15 of raw water and 15 of treated water, were examined by membrane filtration and direct immunofluorescence (Merifluor). For each sample, a volume of 1000 1 was collected. Of the raw-water samples, 26.6% were positive for Cryptosporidium (mean concentration of 0.15 oocysts/l), and 6.66% were positive for Giardia (concentration of 0.2 cysts/l); 13.33% of the samples were positive for both (mean concentrations of 0.06 oocysts/l and 0.026 cysts/l respectively). All the samples of treated water were negative. There was no correlation (P < 0.05) between the presence of protozoans in the raw water and the parameters measured. The finding of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in raw water indicates that the water sources are contaminated. Considering that giardiasis is prevalent in the population and that Cryptosporidium has recognized zoonotic potential, long-term monitoring at critical points of the system is necessary to guarantee that the water will not be a vehicle for transmission of these protozoans.

SUMMARYThe enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the most widely used tool to detect anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies for both serodiagnostic and seroepidemiological surveys on human toxocariasis. In the last eight years a high prevalence of toxocariasis (32.2-56.0%) has been reported in children attending public health units from municipalities in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Therefore, the aim of this work was to compare the frequency found among the general child population with that of children attending a public pneumology service in Maringá, Paraná, Brazil and describe the laboratorial, clinical and epidemiological findings. The research was conducted at the Consórcio Público Intermunicipal de Saúde do Setentrião Paranaense (CISAMUSEP) from July 2009 to July 2010 among children aged between one and 15 years. From a total of 167 children studied, only 4.2% (7/167) tested positive for anti-Toxocara spp. IgG antibodies and presented mild eosinophilia (2/7), increased serum IgE levels (6/7) and a positive allergy test for mites (5/7). The presence of pets (dogs or cats) at home did not correlate with the seroprevalence. In conclusion, cases of toxocariasis involving the respiratory tract are rare in children attending a public health pneumology unit in the northwestern region of Paraná State, despite the high prevalence of this type of toxocariasis among the infantile population attending Basic Health Units in the same geographical area.