Socioenvironmental conditions and intestinal parasitic infections in Brazilian urban slums: a cross-sectional study

Authors

  • Caroline Ferraz Ignacio Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos
  • Milena Enderson Chagas da Silva Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos
  • Natasha Berendonk Handam Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca; Departamento de Saneamento e Saúde Ambiental
  • Maria de Fatima Leal Alencar Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos
  • Adriana Sotero-Martins Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca; Departamento de Saneamento e Saúde Ambiental
  • Martha Macedo de Lima Barata Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
  • Antonio Henrique Almeida de Moraes Neto Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos

Keywords:

Urban health, Protozoan infections, Neglected diseases, Poverty, Tropical medicine

Abstract

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are neglected diseases with limited data regarding prevalence in Brazil and many other countries. In increasingly urban societies, investigating the profile and socioenvironmental determinants of IPIs in the general population of slum dwellers is necessary for establishing appropriate public policies catered to these environments. This study assessed the socioenvironmental conditions and prevalence of IPIs in slums of Rio de Janeiro, RJ State, Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional study covering an agglomeration of urban slums was conducted between 2015 and 2016 using participants observation, a socioeconomic survey, and the spontaneous sedimentation method with three slides per sample to analyze fresh stool specimens ( n =595) searching for intestinal parasites. Results Endolimax nana ( n =95, 16.0%) and Entamoeba coli ( n =65, 10.9%) were the most frequently identified agents, followed by Giardia intestinalis ( n =24, 4.0%) and Ascaris lumbricoides ( n =11, 1.8%). Coinfections caused by E. nana and E. histolytica/dispar and by Entamoeba coli/A. lumbricoides were significant. The use of piped water as drinking water, the presence of A. lumbricoides , and contamination with coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli were more common in major area (MA) 1. Children (0-19 years) had a greater chance of living in poverty (OR 3.36; 95% CI: 2.50- 4.52; p <0.001) which was pervasive. The predominance of protozoa parasites suggests that a one-size-fits-all approach focusing on preventive chemotherapy for soil-transmitted helminths is not appropriate for all communities in developing countries. It is important that both residents and health professionals consider the socioenvironmental conditions of urban slums when assessing intestinal parasitic infections for disease control and health promotion initiatives.

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Published

2017-01-01

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Socioenvironmental conditions and intestinal parasitic infections in Brazilian urban slums: a cross-sectional study. (2017). Revista Do Instituto De Medicina Tropical De São Paulo, 59, e56. https://revistas.usp.br/rimtsp/article/view/140672