[Prevalence of intestinal helminths in three regions of Minas Gerais State]

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2002 Nov-Dec;35(6):597-600. Epub 2003 Feb 26.
[Article in Portuguese]

Abstract

A parasitological assay of feces, through the Kato-Katz method, was undertaken in 18,973 schoolchildren (7 to 14 years old), at primary school level, from a public school of the State of Minas Gerais. Three mesoregions were studied: Tri ngulo Mineiro/ Alto Para ba ( 60 municipalities); northwest Minas Gerais (13) and south/south-west regions of Minas Gerais (144). Among the examined children, 15,545 (82%) were negative; 2,863 (15%) were infected with a single species of helminthes and 565 (3%) were infected by more than one species. The prevalence rates were: A. lumbricoides 10.3%; T. trichiura 4.7%; hookworm 2.9%; E. vermicularis 1.2%; H. nana 0.4% and Taenia sp 0.2%. The largest helminthes prevalence/mesoregion were for T. trichiura (24.2%) and A. lumbricoides (18.7%) in the south/south-west region; hookworm (12.1%) and Taenia sp (0.7%) in the northwest region of Minas Gerais. Intestinal helminthiasis is still regarded as a serious public health problem, including regions where the socio-economic conditions are more favorable.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Female
  • Helminthiasis / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / epidemiology*
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Sex Distribution