Parasitoses como bioindicadores de qualidade socioambiental e seu impacto na saúde e desenvolvimento de crianças

Abstract

Parasitic diseases associated with factors such as malnutrition and anemia can determine important impacts on the growth and development of children, with effects that can have an impact on a person's entire life. The objective of this work was to study the prevalence of infections by parasites transmitted by water and food, associating them with risk factors and the impact on children's health and development. The study included children aged 11 months to 12 years and six months. Biological samples (blood and feces) were collected from 96 children, from three schools located on the west side of Natal; nutritional assessment was also carried out using the parameters weight for age, height for age and height for weight, according to the anthropometric standard of the National Center for Health Statistics; and an epidemiological questionnaire was applied to those responsible. Fecal samples were analyzed using the spontaneous sedimentation technique, modified Willis technique and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique to investigate intestinal parasites. Blood samples were used to perform the hematocrit technique and to obtain the serum for performing the immunoenzymatic test (ELISA), aiming to verify the presence of antiToxoplasma gondii antibodies. The data were analyzed by the chi square test, with a 0.05 significance level. From the 88 feces’ samples analyzed, eight species of enteroparasites were identified, with an overall prevalence of 52.2% (n = 46). The most frequent unicellular intestinal parasites were Blastocystis hominis (28.4%), Giardia lamblia (13.6%) and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar (12.5%). Two species of helminths were also diagnosed, namely Ascaris lumbricoides and Enterobius vermicularis, both with a frequency of 3.4%. Intestinal parasitism showed a significant inverse association with family income (p = 0.000). Condition of low weight for age and obesity occurred in 14.3% and 16.3% of cases, respectively. The seroreactivity for T. gondii was 11.5% (n = 11) and the avidity test for anti-T gondii antibodies indicated that all cases were in the chronic phase of the infection. From the 96 blood samples analyzed using the micro hematocrit technique, 44.8% (n = 43) presented anemia. Infections with enteroprotozoa and T. gondii indicate that these children live in unhealthy environments. In addition, anemia was a relevant diagnosis detected in this study and must be determined in these children by other factors than parasitism.