Prevalence Of Intestinal Parasites In The Elderly Enrolled In The Family Health Strategy In Porto Alegre, Brazil

Autor: Paula Engroff, Luísa Scheer Ely, Aline Bueno da Silva, Karin Viegas, Fernanda Loureiro, Irenio Gomes, Geraldo Attilio DeCarli
Jazyk: English<br />Portuguese
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Geriatrics, Gerontology and Aging, Vol 10, Pp 132-139 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2447-2123
2447-2115
DOI: 10.5327/Z2447-211520161600027
Popis: OBJECTIVE: There are few studies on intestinal parasitic infections in elderly populations. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites and identify the association between this prevalence and the sociodemographic, environmental, and health factors of the elderly attended by the Family Health Strategy (FHS). METHOD: This cross-sectional study involved the analysis of data collected from a random sample of elderly individuals. Community health workers drafted a general questionnaire to collect epidemiological data. The project team also collected blood and stool samples at the healthcare unit where each individual was enrolled. RESULTS: Among 581 elderly people, the prevalence of intestinal parasites was 10.8%. The parasites found were as follows: Endolimax nana (42.7%), Entamoeba coli (33.8%), Giardia lamblia (8.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides (5.9%), Strongyloides stercoralis (4.4%), Trichuris trichiura (2.9%), and Iodamoeba bütschlii (1.5%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of intestinal parasites in elderly persons was lower than that reported in other studies, and the parasites identified were predominantly non-pathogenic. The findings suggest the possibility that interpersonal transmission, environmental contamination, or the ingestion of contaminated food or water is occurring in this population. These findings also highlight the importance of the ongoing implementation of sanitation and hygiene education programs in this community.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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