[Enterobiasis among schoolchildren in a rural population from Estado Falcón, Venezuela, and its relation with socioeconomic level].
Between may and july 2001, a survey was conducted in order to investigate the prevalence and symptoms of Enterobius vermicularis infection and its relationship with the socio-economic status and household crowding of 154 schoolchildren aged 6-12 years from a rural village in Falcon State, Venezuela. The Graham technique (perianal swabs with an adhesive cellulose tape) was used to perform the parasitological diagnosis. The overall prevalence was high (57.79%). There was no difference in the prevalence between sexes (X2 = 0.005; d.f. = 1) or ages (X2 = 3.63; d.f. = 6) (p > 0.05), suggesting similar risk conditions for all individuals. Anal pruritus was the most common clinical finding (53.9%). Other less frequent manifestations were the following: perianal lesions (34.8%) and vulvovaginitis (32.6%). Graffar analysis revealed that the majority of schoolchildren belong to the poorer socioeconomic strata: IV (55.9%) and V (29.87%), with overcrowded living conditions. The correlation between E. vermicularis infection and crowding rates was found to be statistically significant (r = 0.98; p < 0.001). In the light on these results, it can be concluded that poverty, overcrowding, anal pruritus, scarcity of water, inadequate personal and community hygiene play a relevant role on the transmission dynamics and endemic maintenance of enterobiasis among schoolchildren from Sabaneta.
Acosta
María
M
Laboratorio de Entomología Médica, UNIMETROPA, Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda, Coro, Venezuela.
Cazorla
Dalmiro
D
Garvett
María
M
D002648:Child; D003441:Crowding; D017229:Enterobiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D011538:Pruritus Ani / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D011539:Pruritus Vulvae / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014687:Venezuela; D014848:Vulvovaginitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D014881:Water Supply