Occurrence of enteroparasites in day care centers in Botucatu (São Paulo State, Brazil) with emphasis on Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia duodenalis and Enterobius vermicularis

Abstract

SUMMARYThe occurrence of the enteroparasites was verified in 279 children (0 to 6 years) of four municipal day cares of Botucatu/SP. Three samples of each child's feces were collected and processed by the methods of Hoffman-Pons-Janner, Faust and Ritchie and subsequent coloration of the fecal smear by the methods of Auramina-O and Ziehl-Neelsen modified for diagnosis of Cryptosporidium sp. and Graham method for diagnosis of Enterobius vermicularis. Of the analyzed children we verified a prevalence of intestinal parasitism in 53.40%, and the most frequent parasite was Giardia duodenalis (26.88%). Significant association was verified among enteroparasitosis, family income, maternal education and age; the lowest enteroparasite frequency occurred in children of families with larger income and higher education. It was observed that G. duodenalis is more prevalent in children from 0 to 4 years and E. vermicularis is more frequent in children between three and four years old. The high enteroparasite prevalence in day cares suggests complex structure in its epidemiology, where factors beyond sanitation should be considered.

High occurrence of giardiasis in children living on a 'landless farm workers' settlement in Araras, São Paulo, Brazil

“…This study was based on a sample from an underprivileged population in which a high prevalence of giardiasis was largely observed when compared to studies done in other cities in Brazil 4,5,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][16][17][18][19] . It is part of an "Extension Project to the Community" where two undergraduate students voluntarily worked on weekends, trying to make the community aware of the importance of health care.…”

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in preschool children in the region of Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…This is more common especially in developing or underdeveloped countries, in which actions to control enteroparasites are made more difficult by the financial costs of technical measures (infrastructure) and due to the lack of educational projects that provide the population with information 3,4 .…”

“…Daycare centers are environments where children have proven to be more susceptible to acquiring intestinal parasites, due to the facility of interpersonal contact (childchild, child-functionary), poorly-trained staff and inadequate hygiene conditions inherent in children 4,7 .…”

“…The results obtained were lower than literature data obtained using a specific method 11 . Few studies concerning the frequency of parasitoses in children identified E. vermicularis eggs by the Graham method 17 , so the true prevalence of this helminth could be underestimated in many reports 4,18,19 .…”

“…According to Franco & Cordeiro 7 and Carvalho et al 4 , daycare centers are one of the environments in which children are susceptible to intestinal parasites and have acquired fundamental importance in the care of preschoolers, since women's participation in the labor market has increased. Moreover, in daycare centers, the accentuated risk of exposure to enteroparasites is due to characteristics inherent to these establishments, including the facility for interpersonal contact (child-child, child-staff member), poorly-trained staff and inadequate hygiene conditions inherent to children, such as the immaturity of the immune system, the oral phase of exploration, hygiene habits still in formation and constant intimate contact with soil.…”