Intestinal parasitic infections in a population of a Brazilian Amazonian city: an approach to intestinal helminths

Abstract

Introduction: Humans can be infected with different intestinal parasites that can cause diarrhea, dysentery, and even death. These parasitic diseases are more common in individuals living in vulnerable situations, such as those often found in small towns in northern Brazil. Objective: To analyze the frequency of intestinal parasites and the risk factors inherent to infections with an emphasis on helminths in patients attended at the Municipal Laboratory of Oriximiná, a city located in the state of Pará. Methods: In 2019, 294 fecal samples from patients addressed in this laboratory were retrieved, as were socioeconomic and environmental information through a form. The fecal samples were subjected to direct examination and the techniques of thermohydrotropism, centrifugal-sedimentation, spontaneous sedimentation, and centrifugal-flotation. Results: The positivity rate for intestinal parasites was 25.5%. Among the helminths, the most frequently detected were hookworms (10.7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (8%), and Strongyloides stercoralis (2.7%). The parasitological profile of the samples revealed a greater frequency of monoparasitism (78.6%) than of polyparasitism (21.3%). Patients who had close contact with soil were approximately 1.8 times more likely to be parasitized than those who did not directly manipulate the soil, and this association was statistically significant (p=0.017). Furthermore, forms of Urbanorum spp. that were not counted as intestinal parasites were also detected in the patients’ fecal material. Conclusion: The information obtained in this study highlights the need for improvements in basic sanitation in the city and the implementation of health education activities to disseminate information about parasites.