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Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
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Relationship between intestinal parasitic infection in children and soil contamination in an urban slum

Fernando Korkes1, Fabiane U Kumagai, Rubens N Belfort

  • 1The Discipline of Parasitology of the Medical School of Santa Casa of São Paulo, Brazil. fkorkes@terra.com.br

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
|May 24, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Protozoa infections are common in São Paulo slum children, unlike helminths. Improved sanitation may reduce parasitic infections in these vulnerable populations.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Urban slums face high infant mortality and morbidity.
  • Parasitic infections are a significant concern in children residing in these areas.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of protozoa and nematodes in children from a São Paulo slum.
  • To investigate the relationship between soil contamination and parasitic infections in children.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 120 children (aged 2-14) and 15 soil samples.
  • Stool samples were analyzed for protozoa and nematodes using five methods.
  • Soil samples were tested for parasitic eggs.

Main Results:

  • Overall parasitic infection rate was 30.8%, with Endolimax nana, Entamoeba coli, and Giardia lamblia being the most frequent protozoa.
  • Helminth prevalence (Ascaris lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis) was low (2.5% and 1.7%).
  • Ascaris sp. eggs were found in 20% of soil samples, and hookworm eggs in 6.7%.

Conclusions:

  • Helminth infections are less prevalent in this São Paulo slum than previously suggested.
  • Protozoal intestinal infections remain frequent in marginalized urban populations.
  • Enhanced sanitation and living standards are crucial for reducing parasitic disease prevalence.
Abstract

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