C O M U N IC A Ç Ã O
P R E V A L E N C E O F H U M A N IN T E S T IN A L P A R A S IT E S I N T H E T O W N O F A L P E R C A T A , M IN A S G E R A IS , B R A Z IL
O d a ir G en ar o
R e v i s t a d a S o c i e d a d e B r a s i l e i r a d e M e d i c i n a T r o p i c a l 2 4 ( 3 ) : 1 8 1 - 1 8 2 , j u l - s e t , 1 9 9 1
There is no previous report about the prevalence of human intestinal parasites in the town of Alpercata, located in the Eastern area of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In order to assess the current status of intestinal parasitic infections, fresh stool specimens were obtained from 1,573 subjects in the time frame between July and August, 1990. The subjects represent about 10% of the local population estimated in 15,000 habitants. The stool specimens were submmited to the sedimentation technique1. Form every specimen three thick films were made, stained with a drop of iodine solution, and immediately examined in the microscope. Table 1 summarizes the results obtained. For most parasites the group more frequently parasitized was that o f shoolchildren with ages between 6 and 10. S c h i s t o s o m a m a n s o n i was the exception,
with the highest prevalence occurring between 11 and 30 years o f age. The maintenance o f soil- transm itted helm inthic infections caused by
A s c a r i s l u m b r i c o i d e s , T r i c h i u r i s t r i c h i u r a , S t r o n g y l o i d e s s t e r c o r a l i s and hookworm in the
town o f Alpercata ocurrs most probably in the peridomicile, where the children stay frequently during the day. The relatively high prevalence of
T a e n i a sp is explained by the absence o f sanitary
control of the meat (pork and cow). Pork highly infected with C y s t i c e r c u s c e l l u l o s a e could be found at a local meat shop.
The town of Alpercata i s poorly urbanized having basically a rural appearance. Adequate sewage lines are non-existent and so is water treatment which comes basically from homemade wells. These last observations are probably enough
to justify the prevalence of G i a r d i a l a m b l i a and
E n t a m o e b a h i s t o l y t i c a . A survey of the molluscs
capable o f serving as interm ediate hosts for
S c h i s t o s o m a m a n s o n i in water collections of the
municipality yielded important observations. A small creek runs through the dowtown area , collecting much of the improvised sewage line. This creek then dumps into a main and secondary ponds serving as play areas for children and adults throughout the year. In the main pond, 292
B i o m p h a l a r i a g l a b r a t a (Planorbidae) varying from
0.2 to 3.7 cm in diameter and 5 D r e p a n o t r e m a sp
were collected. Examination o f the B . g l a b r a t a
revealed a rate of infection by S . m a n s o n i o f 1 2 % .
These findings demonstrate the poor health status prevailing in this town which claims attention from the sanitary authorities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am grateful to the community o f Alperca
for active collaboration in these work and the students o f the School o f Pharm acy at the Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto for their skilled technical assistance. I am also indebted to Dr. A. M. Siqueira for critical reading of the manuscript.
REFERENCE
1. Hoffman WA, PonsJA, Janer JL. Sedimentation - concentration method in schistosomiasis mansoni. Puerto Rico Journal o f Public Health and Tropical Medicine 9:283-291, 1934.
A d d r e s s t o : D r . O d a i r G e n a r o . Dep artamento de Ciências Biol ógi cas , U ni v e r si d a d e Fede ral de O ur o Pre to, 35 4 0 0
O U R O P R E T O , M G , Brasil
R e c e b id o p a r a p u b lica çã o e m 06 /0 5/91
C o m u n i c a ç ã o . G e n a r o O . P r e v a l e n c e o f h u m a n i n t e s t i n a l p a r a s i t e s in t h e t o w n o f A l p e r c a t a , M i n a s G e r a i s , B r a z i l . R e v i s t a d a S o c i e d a d e B r a s i l e i r a d e M e d i c i n a T r o p i c a l 2 4 : 1 8 1 - 1 8 2 , j u l - s e t , 1 9 9 1
