Intestinal parasites in two indigenous ethnic groups in northwestern Amazonia

ABSTRACT Approximately 90% of the population in the northwestern Amazonia is composed of indigenous people and their healthcare is still a challenge. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of parasites in two indigenous ethnic groups (Baré and Baniwa) in northwestern Amazonia. Stool samples from 270 individuals (199 Baniwa and 71 Baré) were analyzed using Richie's method and the spontaneous sedimentation method. Statistical differences among the proportions of infected individuals based on gender, age, and ethnicity were determined. All individuals were infected by protozoans or helminths. The most frequent parasites in the indigenous people were Ascaris lumbricoides (73%), Entamoeba spp. (53%), and Giardia intestinalis (48%). Protozoan parasites were more common among children aged 0-12 years; however, the frequency of helminths, such as hookworms and A. lumbricoides, was higher in adults. There were no significant differences in parasite frequencies between different genders or ethnic groups. Mixed infections by two or more protozoan and/or helminth species were detected in 96% of individuals. One individual was infected by 14 species. A high frequency of intestinal parasites was found in Baré and Baniwa ethnic groups. Improvements to infrastructure and health education programs are required to reduce risk of infection by intestinal parasites.

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Mass Treatment does not reduce the prevalency of parasites in Guarani indigenous schoolchildren in Brazil

Research Society and Development ◽

10.33448/rsd-v10i11.19524 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. e187101119524

Author(s):

Veridiana Lenartovicz-Boeira ◽

Cristiane Maria Colli ◽

Lucas Casagrande ◽

Fernanda Pereira Rigon ◽

Eloiza Cristina Martelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Frequency ◽

Intestinal Parasites ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Indigenous Populations ◽

Second Phase ◽

Mass Treatment ◽

Cultural Conditions ◽

Before And After ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Epidemiological Profile

The high frequency of intestinal parasites is favored by environmental and socio-cultural conditions of indigenous populations, and is still a neglected public health problem. Mass administration of broad-spectrum drugs aims to reduce the prevalence and intensity of the infections. The prevalence of intestinal parasites in school-children in an indigenous Guarani village in southern Brazil, was evaluated before and after the mass treatment of the population with albendazole. In the first phase of collection of stool samples, 81.4% of them were positive for enteroparasites and in the second phase, after two doses of antiparasitic medication, 87.5% were positive. Although the prevalence of infections by some helminths has reduced after treatment, many parasites remained frequent in the studied population, showing a change in the epidemiological profile in the distribution of these diseases in the population. The prevalence of intestinal parasites in indigenous schoolchildren proved to be high even after mass treatment with albendazole.

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A demographic survey on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites based on socioeconomic determinants in Pakistan

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.12032 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (11) ◽

pp. 1738-1743

Author(s):

Shumaila Irum ◽

Arbab Ahsan ◽

Haroon Ahmed ◽

Aisha Khan ◽

Guan Yayi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intestinal Parasites ◽

Gastrointestinal Parasites ◽

Health Concern ◽

Contaminated Water ◽

Demographic Information ◽

Protozoan Parasites ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Surrounding Environment ◽

Wet Mount ◽

Stool Samples

Introduction: The present study was conducted to investigate prevalence of intestinal parasites and the risk factors related to socio-demographic characteristics of patients admitted in pathology ward, General Hospital, Gujranwala. Methodology: 318 stool samples were collected from patients and examined under light microscope by using wet mount technique. While socio-demographic information was collected in the form of a questionnaire. Results: The results showed seven (n = 7) species of intestinal parasites were prevalent in stool samples of patients. Among them, four (n = 4) were helminth and three (n = 3) were protozoan parasites causing single and mixed infections. Overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 78.3% (n = 249/318) considering both male and female patients. Highest prevalence was recorded for A. lumbricoides (n = 125, 39.3%) followed by H. nana (n = 10, 3.1%), S. stercoralis and T. saginata (n = 6, 1.9%). Among protozoan parasites, higher prevalence was recorded in G. lamblia (n = 23, 7.2%) followed by E. histolytica (n = 21, 6.6%). Among single infections, the most prevalent parasite was A. lumbricoides and less prevalent parasites were S. stercoralis and T. saginata. The factors that had significant effect (p < 0.05) on prevalence of parasitic species were contaminated water, food, soil, and surrounding environment. Conclusions: The present study determined that the parasite helminth (A. lumbricoides, H. nana, S. stercoralis, T. saginata) and protozoan (G. lamblia and E. histolytica) are common that pose an important public health concern in Pakistan.

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Enteroparasites and commensals among children in four peripheral districts of Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais

Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical ◽

10.1590/s0037-86822008000600007 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 41 (6) ◽

pp. 581-585 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Eleuza Rodrigues Machado ◽

Dircelina Silva Santos ◽

Julia Maria Costa-Cruz

Keyword(s):

Giardia Lamblia ◽

Intestinal Parasites ◽

Age Groups ◽

Strongyloides Stercoralis ◽

Minas Gerais ◽

Hymenolepis Diminuta ◽

Risk Of Infection ◽

Enterobius Vermicularis ◽

Education Programs ◽

Hymenolepis Nana

The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of intestinal parasites and commensals among children in four peripheral districts located in the northern, southern, eastern and western sectors of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, using the Baermann methods as modified by Moraes and Lutz. Out of 160 individuals studied, 93 (58.1% CI: 50.4-65.7) were infected, distributed among the sectors as follows: northern (72.5%), southern (47.5%), eastern (57.5%) and western (55%). The positive findings according to age groups were: 0-5 years (26.9%), 5-10 years (21.2%) and 10-15 years (10%). Male children presented 2.7 times higher risk of infection than females did (OR: 2.7; CI: 1052-7001). The parasites and commensals identified were: Giardia lamblia (27.5%), Entamoeba coli (20.6%), Ascaris lumbricoides (14.4%), Enterobius vermicularis (8.8%), Hymenolepis nana (7.5%), Hymenolepis diminuta (5%), hookworms (3.1%), Trichuris trichiura (2.5%), Endolimax nana (2.5%), Entamoeba hartmanni (2.5%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.3%), Iodamoeba butschlii (1.3%) and Capillaria hepatica (0.6%). The infection rate in these children was high and showed the need to implement prophylactic education programs in the community.

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Blastocystis hominis and other intestinal parasites in a community of Pitanga City, Paraná State, Brazil

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo ◽

10.1590/s0036-46652005000400007 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 47 (4) ◽

pp. 213-217 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Solange Aparecida Nascimento ◽

Maria da Luz Ribeiro Moitinho

Keyword(s):

Giardia Lamblia ◽

High Frequency ◽

Intestinal Parasites ◽

Blastocystis Hominis ◽

Laboratory Techniques ◽

Wet Mount ◽

Routine Basis ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Zinc Sulphate Solution ◽

Prevalent Species

The objective was to estimate the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis, to evaluate the effectiveness of different techniques for its diagnosis as well as to estimate the prevalence of other intestinal parasites in the community of Campo Verde, a district of Pitanga. The work was carried out from August to October 2004. Samples of feces from children and adults were collected and submitted to the techniques of direct wet mount, flotation in zinc sulphate solution, tube sedimentation, sedimentation in formalin-ether and staining by Kinyoun and iron hematoxylin methods. From 181 studied individuals, 128 (70.7%) showed protozoa and/or helminths in stool samples. The most prevalent species were Endolimax nana (33.7%); B. hominis (26.5%); Giardia lamblia (18.2%); Entamoeba coli (17.1%); Ascaris lumbricoides (16.6%); Iodamoeba bütschlii (9.4%); and ancylostomatidae (7.7%). B. hominis was only identified by the techniques of direct wet mount, sedimentation in formalin-ether and staining by iron hematoxylin, though the latter was less sensitive than the other methods. The high frequency of B. hominis demonstrated by this study indicates the need to include laboratory techniques that enable identification of the parasite on a routine basis.

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The prevalence of intestinal parasites and associated risk factors in school-going children from informal settlements in Nakuru town, Kenya

Malawi Medical Journal ◽

10.4314/mmj.v32i2.5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 80-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Naomi Chege

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Intestinal Parasites ◽

Informal Settlements ◽

Parasitic Infections ◽

Protozoan Parasites ◽

Intestinal Protozoan ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Associated Risk Factors

BackgroundIntestinal parasites are a major public health problem in the developing world and have attracted increasing levels of interest from health researchers over the past decade. Epidemiology-based studies have shown that the prevalence of intestinal parasites is high and they frequently recur in regions with poor sanitation and inadequate sewerage facilities. In this study, we determined the prevalence of intestinal parasites, their egg intensities per sample, and associated risk factors in an informal settlement.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study conducted in three randomly selected public primary schools located in the informal settlements of Nakuru town. A total of 248 stool samples were collected from asymptomatic pupils and screened, using the Kato Katz technique, for infections caused by soil-transmitted helminths (STH). A random subset of stool samples (n=96) was also screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect intestinal protozoa. Socio-demographic variables were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire; these data were analysed to identify risk factors for infection. ResultsThe overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 17.3% (43/248 pupils). The overall prevalence of both STH and intestinal protozoan parasites was 1.2% and 41.7%, respectively. The most commonly diagnosed STH infection was Trichuris trichiura (1.2%), followed by hookworms (0.4%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (0.4%). The prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites ranged from 0% to 38.5% and included Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba hartmanni, Entamoeba dispar, Giardia intestinalis, and Entamoeba coli. All infections were light, with an egg intensity <100 for each of the STH infections. The prevalence of multiple infections, including intestinal protozoan parasites, was 5.2% (n=5) and 0.4% (n=1) for STH in the subset samples. Finally, our analysis identified several significant risk factors for intestinal parasitic infections, including goat rearing (p=0.046), living in a home with an earthen floor (p=0.022), the number of rooms in the household (p=0.035), and the source of food (p=0.016). ConclusionThe low prevalence of intestinal parasites in the informal settlements of Nakuru may be attributed to improvements in hygiene and sanitation, deworming, and general good health practices that are facilitated by the Department of Public Health.

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Parasitic infections in Swiss children: Are we overtesting?

BMC Gastroenterology ◽

10.1186/s12876-021-01619-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Corinne Légeret ◽

Céline Rüttimann ◽

Hans Fankhauser ◽

Henrik Köhler

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

Positive Result ◽

Pediatric Patients ◽

Intestinal Parasites ◽

Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽

International Travel ◽

Parasitic Infections ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Stool Specimens

Abstract Background A wide variation of causes can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms in children- an infection with parasites is one of them. The expansion of international travel might lead to an increase in testing children for a correspondent infection. Currently there are no guidelines available, which patients should be tested for a possible parasitical infection. The aim of the study was to characterize Swiss children suffering from intestinal parasites, in order to provide more knowledge for the clinician who should be tested. Methods This is a retrospective study of Swiss pediatric patients, whose stools have been tested for parasites and helminths. Results A total of 1855 stool samples, belonging to 572 different children with an average age of 7.9 years, were tested within a 10-year period. The prevalence of a positive result was 4.2%, of which all were positive for Blastocystis, and 12.5% had a co-infection with Endolimax nana. Conclusion Immigrants, immune compromised children with diarrhea and pediatric patients with bloody or protracted diarrhea should have 2 different stool specimens examined for a possible parasitical infection.

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Comparative Assessment of In-House Real-Time PCRs Targeting Enteric Disease-Associated Microsporidia in Human Stool Samples

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10060656 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 656

Author(s):

Konstantin Tanida ◽

Andreas Hahn ◽

Kirsten Alexandra Eberhardt ◽

Egbert Tannich ◽

Olfert Landt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Indigenous People ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Latent Class ◽

Enterocytozoon Bieneusi ◽

Enteric Disease ◽

Immunosuppressed Patients ◽

Study Population ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Pcr Assays

Microsporidiosis is an infection predominantly occurring in immunosuppressed patients and infrequently also in travelers. This study was performed to comparatively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of real-time PCR assays targeting microsporidia with etiological relevance in the stool of human patients in a latent class analysis-based test comparison without a reference standard with perfect accuracy. Thereby, two one-tube real-time PCR assays and two two-tube real-time PCR assays targeting Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalocytozoon spp. were included in the assessment with reference stool material (20), stool samples from Ghanaian HIV-positive patients (903), and from travelers, migrants and Colombian indigenous people (416). Sensitivity of the assays ranged from 60.4% to 97.4% and specificity from 99.1% to 100% with substantial agreement according to Cohen’s kappa of 79.6%. Microsporidia DNA was detected in the reference material and the stool of the HIV patients but not in the stool of the travelers, migrants, and the Colombian indigenous people. Accuracy-adjusted prevalence was 5.8% (n = 78) for the study population as a whole. In conclusion, reliable detection of enteric disease-associated microsporidia in stool samples by real-time PCR could be demonstrated, but sensitivity between the compared microsporidia-specific real-time PCR assays varied.

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Seasonal Differences in Cyclospora cayetanensis Prevalence in Colombian Indigenous People

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9030627 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 627

Author(s):

Hagen Frickmann ◽

Juliane Alker ◽

Jessica Hansen ◽

Juan Carlos Dib ◽

Andrés Aristizabal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Indigenous People ◽

Rainy Season ◽

Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽

Dry Season ◽

Seasonal Effects ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Resource Limited Settings ◽

Resource Limited ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Polymerase Chain

Fecal-orally transmitted cyclosporiasis is frequent in remote resource-limited settings in Central and South America with poor hygiene conditions. In this study, we aimed at assessing seasonal effects on the epidemiology of colonization or infection with C. cayetanensis in Colombian indigenous people living under very restricted conditions. In the rainy season between July and November and in the dry season between January and April, stool samples from indigenous people with and without gastrointestinal symptoms were collected and screened for C. cayetanensis applying in-house real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the rainy season and in the dry season, positive PCR results were observed for 11.8% (16/136) and 5.1% (15/292), respectively, with cycle threshold (Ct) values of 30.6 (±3.4) and 34.4 (±1.6), respectively. Despite higher parasite loads in the rainy season, fewer individuals (2/16, 12.5%) reported gastrointestinal symptoms compared to the dry season (6/15, 40%). In conclusion, considerable prevalence of C. cayetanensis in Colombian indigenous people persists in the dry season. Low proportions of gastrointestinal symptoms along with higher parasite loads make colonization likely rather than infection.

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Molecular Characterization of Giardia duodenalis in Children and Adults Sampled in Algeria

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9010054 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 54

Author(s):

Salem Belkessa ◽

Daniel Thomas-Lopez ◽

Karim Houali ◽

Farida Ghalmi ◽

Christen Rune Stensvold

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Molecular Characterization ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Intestinal Parasites ◽

Giardia Duodenalis ◽

Specific Pcr ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Pcr Targeting ◽

Assemblage B

The molecular epidemiology of giardiasis in Africa remains unclear. A study was carried out across four hospitals in Algeria. A total of 119 fecal samples from 55 children, 37 adults, and 27 individuals of undetermined age, all scored positive for intestinal parasites by microscopy, and were screened by real-time PCR for Giardia. Molecular characterization of Giardia was performed by assemblage-specific PCR and PCR targeting the triose phosphate isomerase gene (tpi). Of the 119 samples, 80 (67%) were Giardia-positive by real-time PCR. For 48 moderately-highly real-time PCR-positive samples, tpi genotyping assigned 22 samples to Assemblage A and 26 to Assemblage B. Contrary to Assemblage A, Assemblage B exhibited substantial genetic diversity and allelic heterozygosity. Assemblage-specific PCR proved to be specific for discriminating Assemblage A or B but not as sensitive as tpi genotyping. We confirmed that real-time PCR is more sensitive than microscopy for detecting Giardia in stool samples and that robust amplification and sequencing of the tpi gene is feasible when moderate-to-strongly real-time PCR-positive samples are used. This study is one of the few performed in Africa providing genotyping data on Giardia infections in humans. Both assemblages A and B were commonly seen and not associated with specific sociodemographic data.

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Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania

Journal of Parasitology Research ◽

10.1155/2017/5651717 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Azan A. Nyundo ◽

David Z. Munisi ◽

Ainory P. Gesase

Keyword(s):

Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽

Intestinal Parasites ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Parasitic Infection ◽

Parasitic Infections ◽

Intestinal Parasitic Infection ◽

Psychiatric Facility ◽

Concentration Data ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Stool Samples

Background. Neglected tropical diseases continue to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Psychiatric patients are among groups at risk for parasitic infection although control and monitoring programs largely overlook this population. This study aimed at determining prevalence and factors associated with intestinal parasitic infection among patients admitted to a psychiatric facility.Method. The study followed cross-sectional design; all the residing patients that met the inclusion criteria were included in the survey. Stool samples were collected and examined by direct wet preparation and formol-ether concentration. Data were analyzed with STATA version 12.1; Chi-square test was computed to determine the level of significance atpvalue < 0.05.Results.Of all 233 patients who returned the stool samples, 29 (12.45%) screened were positive for an intestinal parasite. There was no significant association between parasite carriage and age, sex, or duration of hospital stay.Conclusion. The study shows that intestinal parasitic infection is common among patients in a psychiatric facility and highlights that parasitic infections that enter through skin penetration may be a more common mode of transmission than the oral route. Furthermore, the study underscores the need for surveillance and intervention programs to control and manage these infections.

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