Intestinal parasitic infections, with a special emphasis on cryptosporidiosis, in Amerindians from western Venezuela.

Abstract

Abstract. The prevalences of intestinal parasites and intensities of helminth infections were studied in two Amerindian villages in Venezuela. Single stool specimens were collected from 303 individuals from Saimadoyi and 130 from Campo Rosario. Wet mounts, iron-hematoxylin-stained smears, and formalin-ether concentrates were examined for the presence of parasites; modified Ziehl-Neelsen carbol-fuchsin staining of 10% formalin-preserved stool was used to identify Cryptosporidium parvum. Helminth ova counts were made using the standard smear egg count technique. Mixed infections (Campo Rosario ϭ 69.9%, Saimadoyi ϭ 71.6%) were frequent. Overall infection rates with one or more species (Campo Rosario ϭ 79.2%, Saimadoyi ϭ 95.4%; P Ͻ 0.01) and with any protozoans (Campo Rosario ϭ 60.8%, Saimadoyi ϭ 72.3%; P Ͻ 0.05) were high and predominant (P Ͻ 0.05) in Saimadoyi. Cryptosporidiosis was identified in 38 subjects (8.8%) in both villages; 60.6% were asymptomatic carriers. The mean egg counts of helminths were heavier in Campo Rosario (P Ͻ 0.05), which was probably due to the drastic reduction of their lands along with their low standard of living. This study documents the change of intestinal parasitism pattern and deterioration of the health of Amerindians by the process of acculturation.

Environmental risk factors for Cryptosporidium infection in an island from Western Venezuela

“…As previously noted, cryptosporidiosis predominated in the ≤ 5 years old children (p < 0.01), the presence of diarrheal illness decreased significantly with age (p < 0.01) and the proportion of asymptomatic cysts passers was remarkable (83.6%). These results confirm that, in endemic areas, most infected subjects are often symptomless (Mathan et al 1985, Hojlyng et al 1986, Janoff et al 1990, Chacín-Bonilla et al 1993, 2000, Esteban et al 1998, and younger children tend to suffer the highest rates of infections and the most illness (Reinthaler 1989, Current & García 1991, Enriquez et al 1997, Agnew et al 1998, Bern et al 2002, Nuñez et al 2003 and suggest that immunity to the parasite occurs in this area.…”

“…However, this prevalence might shift since the infection may be seasonal (Meinhardt et al 1996). The infection rate was higher than those observed in other communities from Venezuela (Chacín-Bonilla et al 1993, 2000, Devera et al 2005, Brazil (Weikel et al 1985), and Haití (López et al 2003). As previously noted, cryptosporidiosis predominated in the ≤ 5 years old children (p < 0.01), the presence of diarrheal illness decreased significantly with age (p < 0.01) and the proportion of asymptomatic cysts passers was remarkable (83.6%).…”

“…However, geographic distribution and epidemiologic features of infection in the country are mostly unknown since studies among population-based community are very scarce. Infection rates from 0.6% to 9.9% have been reported from three poor settings (Chacín-Bonilla et al 1993, 2000, Devera et al 2005 but studies on risk factors and modes of transmission of infection are lacking. The aim of the present report was to assess the prevalence and environmental risk factors for cryptosporidiosis in San Carlos island, Venezuela.…”

Intestinal parasites and genotypes of Giardia intestinalis in school children from Berisso, Argentina

“…Several epidemiological studies have recorded the presence of intestinal parasitosis in populations from Latin America [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Furthermore, there is a wide variability in both inter-and intra-regional parasitosis within a given country and among countries [7].…”

Cloning and Characterization of the Acidic Ribosomal Protein P2 ofCryptosporidium parvum, a New 17-Kilodalton Antigen

“…Although Giardia intestinalis is ubiquitous in Haiti and other settings in the developing world (8,19,34,47), it lacks the conserved carboxy-terminal epitope that is critical for P2 protein immune recognition (G. intestinalis P2; GenBank accession number XP_001707951) (41). Isospora belli infection was very rare in the Peruvian cohort study (V. Cama, CDC, personal communication).…”