Intestinal parasitic infections and associated factors in children of three rural schools in Colombia. A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Rural children are one of the populations that are most vulnerable to gastrointestinal parasite infections. Such diseases decrease the quality of life and result in growth and cognitive delays in the long term. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the frequency of intestinal parasite infections among rural schoolchildren in the municipality of Apulo, Colombia. A total of 97 stool samples from children aged between 5 and 15 years were collected and examined via direct light microscopy. Microscopic examination was repeated with sediments obtained using a fecal parasite concentrator, and the Kato–Katz test was performed. Frequency of intestinal parasite infection was 100%. Endolimax nana (77.35%), Blastocystis sp . (71.1%), Giardia intestinalis (39.1%), Entamoeba coli (25.7%), and the Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii complex (9.2%) were the most prevalent protozoa. Trichuris trichiura was the most prevalent helminth (12.3%), followed by Enterobius vermicularis (6.15%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (5.1%). Among the analyzed associated factors, consumption of untreated water increased the risk of acquiring pathogenic intestinal parasites. Finally, because G . intestinalis was the most prevalent pathogenic protozoan, molecular analysis was conducted to establish genetic assemblages and subassemblages of Giardia through sequence-based genotyping of the glutamate dehydrogenase, triose phosphate isomerase, and beta-giardin genes. A total of 14 G . intestinalis -positive samples were genotyped, which revealed the presence of subassemblages AI (n = 1), AII (n = 7), BIII (n = 2), BIV (n = 2), and BIII/BIV (n = 1) as well as a mixed subassemblage AII + BIII (n = 1). Our results indicate that gastrointestinal parasite infections in the tested population were mainly caused by suboptimal water quality. Moreover, molecular typing of G . intestinalis suggested contamination of water by animal- and human-derived cysts.

Parasitic Infestation in the Incidence of Diarrhea Among Toddlers in Jakarta, Bogor, Banjarmasin and Makassar

“…Diarrhea sufferers in this phase have experienced a phase called dysentery. The occurrence of diarrhea can be mild or severe levels [19,20]. Oxiuris vermicularis is the most common worm parasite infecting humans.…”

Molecular detection and genotyping of intestinal protozoa from different biogeographical regions of Colombia

“…Few studies of these protozoan pathogens have been conducted in Colombia. Studies of samples from indigenous communities in the Amazon (Sánchez et al, 2017), from a rural region in La Vírgen (Ramírez et al, 2015), and from children in rural schools in the municipality of Apulo (Hernández et al, 2019), Cundinamarca, found G. intestinalis in human fecal samples. Sub-assemblages AI, AII, BIII and BIV and sub-assemblages AII, BIII and BIV were detected in the feces of children in nurseries of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare.…”

Evaluation of intestinal parasites in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria in a territory hospital in Turkey

“…The highly prevalent intestinal helmints have been reported as Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenale and Strongyloides stercoralis, intestinal protozoa as Blastocystis sp., G. duodenalis, Dientamoeba fragilis and Entamoeba spp. [5,9].…”