title: [Estacionalidad de parásitos intestinales en suelos periurbanos de la ciudad de Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of eggs, larva, cysts and oocysts of intestinal parasites in the soil of a suburb of Neuquén city during 1 year in order to evaluate their seasonal fluctuations in relation to climatic data and soil characteristics in the studied area.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 107 soil samples were processed for parasite isolation by sedimentation and flotation methods during the four seasons of the year. Meteorological data were registered and physical, chemical and structural characteristics of the soil were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 28.9% of the soil samples were positive for at least one parasite form. Six protozoa species (cysts of Entamoeba sp., Enteromonas sp., Endolimax sp., Giardia sp., Iodamoeba sp. and coccidia oocysts) were recovered, but neither larvae nor eggs of human or animal helminths parasites were detected. The percentage of contaminated soil samples and the diversity of species showed a marked decrease in the warm and dry months of the summer. The soil was sandy, without vegetable cover, well drained, and with scarce organic matter content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequencies of parasite recovery and the number of species show seasonal fluctuations related to the rainfall. The importance of soil as a risk factor for the transmission of intestinal parasites in the studied area is conditioned by its structural characteristics, which prevent retaining the humidity, and by climatic variables. The interrelation of both factors determines unfavourable conditions that could explain the low level of contamination observed in soil as well as the absence of eggs and helminth larvae.
authors.affiliation: Cát. de Microbiología y Parasitología, Carrera de Medicina, UNCo, Cipolletti, Argentina.
authors.forename: Nora Beatriz
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Pierangeli
authors.forename: Alejandro Lorenzo
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Giayetto
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Manacorda
authors.forename: Liliana Marta
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.forename: Silvia Viviana
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: Betina Cecilia
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Pezzani
authors.forename: Marta Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Minvielle
authors.forename: Juan Angel
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Basualdo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011891:Rain; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil