Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prevalence and predictors associated with intestinal infections by protozoa and helminths in southern Brazil

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Approximately 2 billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths worldwide, mainly in tropical and subtropical areas. This research aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors associated with parasitic infections in primary health care. A cross-sectional study was performed with a large random sample to identify the prevalence and predictors associated with parasitic infections in primary health care in Marialva, southern Brazil, from April 2011 to September 2013. Stool samples from 775 individuals were analyzed for the presence of protozoan cysts, helminth eggs, and larvae. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 13.94 %, and the prevalence of protozoa and helminths was 15.1 and 2.9 %, respectively. The predictor variables that were associated with intestinal parasites were male gender odds ratio (OR) 1.60, 95 % confidence interval (CI 1.10–2.40) and the absence of a kitchen garden (OR 2.28, 95 % CI, 1.08–4.85). Positive associations were found between Giardia duodenalis and individuals aged ≤18 with high risk (OR 19.0, 95 % CI 2.16–167.52), between Endolimax nana and the absence of a kitchen garden (p < 0.01), and between Trichuris trichiura and the presence of a kitchen garden (p = 0.014). Polyparasitism was present in 27.27 % of infected individuals. Our findings confirmed a relatively low prevalence in primary care, compared to international standards, despite the rare publications in the area. As variables, male gender and the absence of a kitchen garden stood out as important predictors. It is highly relevant that the health conditions of the population comply with consistent standards.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abossie A, Seid M (2014) Assessment of the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis and associated risk factors among primary school children in Chencha town, Southern Ethiopia. BMC Public Health 14:166

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Aboulghate A, Abel G, Lyratzopoulos G, Abdelmohsen A, Hamed AR, Roland M (2013) Patterns of disease presentation and management in Egyptian primary care: findings from a survey of 2458 primary care patient consultations. BMC Fam Pract 14:161

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Agudelo-Lopez S, Gómez-Rodríguez L, Coronado X, Orozco A, Valencia-Gutierrez CA, Restrepo-Betancur LF, Galvis-Gómez LA, Botero-Palacio LE (2008) Prevalencia de Parasitosis Intestinales y Factores Asociados en un Corregimiento de la Costa Atlántica Colombiana. Rev Salud Publica 10:633–642

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Albonico M, Shamlaye N, Shamlaye C, Savioli L (1996) Control of intestinal parasitic infections in Seychelles: a comprehensive and sustainable approach. Bull World Health Organ 74:577–586

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Madani AA, Mahfouz AA (1995) Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among Asian female house keepers in Abha District, Saudi Arabia. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 26:135–137

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Andrade EC, Leite ICG, Vieira MT, Abramo C, Tibiriça SHC, Silva PL (2011) Prevalência de parasitoses intestinais em comunidade quilombola no Município de Bias Fortes, Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, 2008. Epidemiol Serv Saúde 20:337–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baptista SC, Breguez JMM, Baptista MCP, da Silva GMS, Pinheiro RO (2006) Análise da incidência de parasitoses intestinais no município de Paraíba do Sul, RJ. RBAC 38:271–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Basso RM, Silva-Ribeiro RT, Soligo DS, Ribacki SI, Callegari-Jacques SM, Zoppas BC (2008) Evolution of the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis among schoolchildren in Caxias do Sul, RS. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 41:263–268

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belo VS, Oliveira RB, Fernandes PC, Nascimento BWL, Fernandes FV, Castro CLF, Santos WB, Silva ES (2012) Fatores associados à ocorrência de parasitoses intestinais em uma população de crianças e adolescentes. Rev Paul Pediatr 30:195–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biscegli TS, Romera J, Candido AB, Santos JM, Candido ECA, Binotto AL (2009) Nutritional status and enteroparasitosis prevalence among children enrolled in a day care center. Rev Paul Pediatr 27:289–295

    Google Scholar 

  • Boonjaraspinyo S, Boonmars T, Kaewsamut B, Ekobol N, Laummaunwai P, Aukkanimart R, Wonkchalee N, Juasook A, Sriraj P (2013) A cross-sectional study on intestinal parasitic infections in rural communities, northeast Thailand. Korean J Parasitol 51:727–734

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Calderaro A, Montecchini S, Rossi S, Gorrini C, De Conto F, Medici MC, Chezzi C, Arcangeletti MC (2014) Intestinal parasitoses in a tertiary-care hospital located in a non-endemic setting during 2006-2010. BMC Infect Dis 14:264

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Carneiro Santos HL, Fernandes Martins LA, Saramago Peralta RH, Peralta JM, Werneck de Macedo H (2014) Frequency of amoebiasis and other intestinal parasitoses in a settlement in Ilhéus City, State of Bahia, Brazil. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 47:101–104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho OS, Guerra HL, Campos YR, Caldeira RL, Massara CL (2002) Prevalence of intestinal helminths in three regions of Minas Gerais State. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 35:597–600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Damazio SM, Lima MS, Soares AR, Souza MA (2013) Intestinal parasites in a quilombola community of the Northern State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 55:179–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daryani A, Sharif M, Nasrolahei M, Khalilian A, Mohammadi A, Barzegar G (2012) Epidemiological survey of the prevalence of intestinal parasites among schoolchildren in Sari, Northern Iran. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 106:455–459

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faust EC, Sawitz W, Tobie J, Odom V, Peres C, Lincicome DR (1939) Comparative efficiency of various techniques for the diagnosis of protozoa and helminthes in feces. J Parasitol 25:241–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira CB, Marçal Junior O (1997) Enteroparasitoses em escolares do distrito de Martinésia, Uberlândia, MG: um estudo-piloto. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 30:373–377

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira MU, Ferreira CS, Monteiro CA (2000) Tendência secular das parasitoses intestinais na infância na cidade de São Paulo (1984-1996). Rev Saude Publica 34:73–82

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gamboa MI, Basualdo JA, Córdoba MA, Pezzani BC, Minvielle MC, Lahitte HB (2003) Distribution of intestinal parasitoses in relation to environmental and sociocultural parameters in La Plata, Argentina. J Helminthol 77:15–20

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garg PK, Perry S, Dorn M, Hardcastle L, Parsonnet J (2005) Risk of intestinal helminth and protozoan infection in a refugee population. Am J Trop Med Hyg 73:386–391

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gil FF, Busatti HG, Cruz VL, Santos JF, Gomes MA (2013) High prevalence of enteroparasitosis in urban slums of Belo Horizonte-Brazil. Presence of enteroparasites as a risk factor in the family group. Pathog Glob Health 107:320–324

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gioia I (1992) Prevalência de parasitoses intestinais entre os usuários do centro de saúde do Distrito de Sousas, Campinas, SP (1986-1990). Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 25:177–182

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giraldi N, Vidotto O, Navarro IT, Garcia JL (2001) Enteroparasites prevalence among daycare and elementary school children of municipal schools, Rolândia, PR, Brazil. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 34:385–387

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guilherme AL, de Araújo SM, Falavigna DL, Pupulim AR, Dias ML, de Oliveira HS, Maroco E, Fukushigue Y (1999) Endoparasite prevalence in truck farmers and in the vegetables of Feira do Produtor de Maringá, Paraná. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 32:405–411

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman WA, Pons JA, Janer JL (1944) The sedimentation-concentration method in schistosomiasis mansoni. Puerto Rico J Publ Hlth 9:281–298

  • IBGE Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (2015) Available at: http://cod.ibge.gov.br/238IG. Accessed 30 November 2015

  • Júlio C, Vilares A, Oleastro M, Ferreira I, Gomes S, Monteiro L, Nunes B, Tenreiro R, Angelo H (2012) Prevalence and risk factors for Giardia duodenalis infection among children: a case study in Portugal. Parasit Vectors 5:22

  • Kheirandish F, Tarahi MJ, Ezatpour B (2014) Prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers in Western Iran. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 56:111–114

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • King JD, Endeshaw T, Escher E, Alemtaye G, Melaku S, Gelaye W, Worku A, Adugna M, Melak B, Teferi T, Zerihun M, Gesese D, Tadesse Z, Mosher AW, Odermatt P, Utzinger J, Marti H, Ngondi J, Hopkins DR, Emerson PM (2013) Intestinal parasite prevalence in an area of Ethiopia after implementing the SAFE strategy, enhanced outreach services, and health extension program. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 7:e2223

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lander RL, Lander AG, Houghton L, Williams SM, Costa-Ribeiro H, Barreto DL, Mattos AP, Gibson RS (2012) Factors influencing growth and intestinal parasitic infections in preschoolers attending philanthropic daycare centers in Salvador, Northeast Region of Brazil. Cad Saude Publica 28:2177–2188

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Macchioni F, Segundo H, Gabrielli S, Totino V, Gonzales PR, Salazar E, Bozo R, Bartoloni A, Cancrini G (2015) Dramatic decrease in prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths and new insights into intestinal protozoa in children living in the Chaco region, Bolivia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 92:794–796

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Machado ER, Freitas CV, Costa-Cruz JM (2010) Strongyloides stercoralis and other enteroparasites in individual of rural area of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Rev Patol Trop 39:115–122

  • Mamo H (2014) Intestinal parasitic infections among prison inmates and tobacco farm workers in Shewa Robit, North-Central Ethiopia. PLoS One 9:e99559

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Marques SMT, Bandeira C, Quadros RM (2005) Prevalência de enteroparasitoses em Concórdia, Santa Catarina, Brasil. Parasitol Latinoam 60:78–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthys B, Bobieva M, Karimova G, Mengliboeva Z, Jean-Richard V, Hoimnazarova M, Kurbonova M, Lohourignon LK, Utzinger J, Wyss K (2011) Prevalence and risk factors of helminths and intestinal protozoa infections among children from primary schools in Western Tajikistan. Parasit Vectors 4:195

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Menzies SK, Rodriguez A, Chico M, Sandoval C, Broncano N, Guadalupe I, Cooper PJ (2014) Risk factors for soil-transmitted helminth infections during the first 3 years of life in the tropics; findings from a birth cohort. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 8:e2718

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro AMC, Silva EF, Almeida KS, Sousa JJN, Mathias LA, Baptista F, Freitas FLC (2009) Parasitoses intestinais em crianças de creches públicas localizadas em bairros periféricos do município de Coari, Amazonas, Brasil. Rev Patol Trop 38:284–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Moraes Neto AHA, Pereira APMF, Alencar MFL, Jr-Souza PRB, Dias RC, Fonseca JG, Santos CP, Almeida JC (2010) Prevalence of intestinal parasites versus knowledge, attitudes, and practices of inhabitants of low-income communities of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Parasitol Res 107:295–307

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MS (2012) Ministério da Saúde. Plano integrado de ações estratégicas de eliminação da hanseníase, filariose, esquistossomose e oncocercose como problema de saúde pública, tracoma como causa de cegueira e controle das geohelmintíases. Plano de Ação 2011-2015.

  • Ngui R, Ishak S, Chuen CS, Mahmud R, Lim YA (2011) Prevalence and risk factors of intestinal parasitism in rural and remote West Malaysia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 5:e974

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Niska RW, Sloand E (2010) Ambulatory medical care in rural Haiti. J Health Care Poor Underserved 21:70–80

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nobre LN, Silva RV, Macedo MS, Teixeira RA, Lamounier JA, Franceschini SC (2013) Risk factors for intestinal parasitic infections in preschoolers in a low socio-economic area, Diamantina, Brazil. Pathog Glob Health 107:103–106

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nolla AC, Cantos GA (2005) Prevalência de enteroparasitoses em manipuladores de alimentos, Florianópolis, SC. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 38:524–525

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos JM, Rodríguez-Valero N, Tisiano G, Fano H, Yohannes T, Gosa A, Fruttero E, Reyes F, Górgolas M (2014) Different profile of intestinal protozoa and helminthic infections among patients with diarrhoea according to age attending a rural hospital in Southern Ethiopia. Trop Biomed 31:392–397

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rinne S, Rodas EJ, Galer-Unti R, Glickman N, Glickman LT (2005) Prevalence and risk factors for protozoan and nematode infections among children in an Ecuadorian highland community. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 99:585–592

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Román-Sánchez P, Pastor-Guzmán A, Moreno-Guillén S, Igual-Adell R, Suñer-Generoso S, Tornero-Estébanez C (2003) High prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis among farm workers on the Mediterranean coast of Spain: analysis of the predictive factors of infection in developed countries. Am J Trop Med Hyg 69:336–340

  • Rugai E, Mattos T, Brisola AP (1954) Nova técnica para isolar larvas de nematóides das fezes-modificação do método de Baermann. Rev Inst A Lutz 14:5–8

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos RCV, Hoerlle JL, Aquino ARC, De Carli GA (2004) Prevalência de enteroparasitoses em pacientes ambulatoriais do Hospital Divina Providência de Porto Alegre, RS. Rev Bras Anal Clin 36:241–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos SA, Merlini LS (2010) Prevalência de enteroparasitoses na população do município de Maria Helena, Paraná. Cien Saude Colet 15:899–905

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sayasone S, Mak TK, Vanmany M, Rasphone O, Vounatsou P, Utzinger J, Akkhavong K, Odermatt P (2011) Helminth and intestinal protozoa infections, multiparasitism and risk factors in Champasack province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 5:e1037

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Silva JC, Furtado LFV, Ferro TC, Bezerra KC, Borges EP, Melo ACFL (2011) Parasitismo por Ascaris lumbricoides e seus aspectos epidemiológicos em crianças do Estado do Maranhão. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 44:100–102

  • Souza EA, da Silva-Nunes M, Malafronte Rdos S, Muniz PT, Cardoso MA, Ferreira UM (2007) Prevalence and spatial distribution of intestinal parasitic infections in a rural Amazonian settlement, Acre State, Brazil. Cad Saude Publica 23:427–434

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spinelli R, Brandonisio O, Serio G, Trerotoli P, Ghezzani F, Carito V, Dajçi N, Doçi A, Picaku F, Dentico P (2006) Intestinal parasites in healthy subjects in Albania. Eur J Epidemiol 21:161–166

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Takizawa MGMH, Falavigna DL, Gomes ML (2009) Enteroparasitosis and their ethnographic relationship to food handlers in a tourist and economic center in Paraná, Southern Brazil. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 51:31–35

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tavares-Dias M, Grandini AA (1999) Prevalence and epidemiological aspects of enteroparasites in the population of São José da Bela Vista, São Paulo. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 32:63–65

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tefera T, Mebrie G (2014) Prevalence and predictors of intestinal parasites among food handlers in Yebu Town, southwest Ethiopia. PLoS One 9:e110621

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Visser S, Giatti LL, Carvalho RA, Guerreiro JC (2011) Estudo da associação entre fatores socioambientais e prevalência de parasitose intestinal em área periférica da cidade de Manaus (AM, Brasil). Cien Saude Colet 16:3481–3492

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wegayehu T, Tsalla T, Seifu B, Teklu T (2013) Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among highland and lowland dwellers in Gamo area, South Ethiopia. BMC Public Health 13:151

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2015) World Health Organization, Geneva. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs366/en/. Accessed 30 November 2015

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial Support from the Fundação Araucária / Programa de Pesquisa para o Sistema Único de Saúde/ Convention 521/2010.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Analysis and Biomedicine, Health Sciences Center, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil

    Maria Teresinha Gomes Casavechia, Maria Valdrinez Campana Lonardoni, Eneide Aparecida Sabaini Venazzi, Paula Aline Zanetti Campanerut-Sá & Jorge Juarez Vieira Teixeira

  2. Department of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil

    Hugo Rafael da Costa Benalia, Matheus Felipe Mattiello & Pedro Victor Lazaretti Menechini

  3. Department of Statistics, Exact Sciences Center, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil

    Carlos Aparecido dos Santos

Authors
  1. Maria Teresinha Gomes Casavechia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria Valdrinez Campana Lonardoni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eneide Aparecida Sabaini Venazzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Paula Aline Zanetti Campanerut-Sá
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hugo Rafael da Costa Benalia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Matheus Felipe Mattiello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Pedro Victor Lazaretti Menechini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Carlos Aparecido dos Santos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Jorge Juarez Vieira Teixeira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jorge Juarez Vieira Teixeira.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Casavechia, M.T.G., Lonardoni, M.V.C., Venazzi, E.A.S. et al. Prevalence and predictors associated with intestinal infections by protozoa and helminths in southern Brazil. Parasitol Res 115, 2321–2329 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-4980-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-4980-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation