[Estacionalidad de parásitos intestinales en suelos periurbanos de la ciudad de Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina].
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.
Pierangeli
Nora Beatriz
NB
Cát. de Microbiología y Parasitología, Carrera de Medicina, UNCo, Cipolletti, Argentina.
Giayetto
Alejandro Lorenzo
AL
Manacorda
Ana Maria
AM
Barbieri
Liliana Marta
LM
Soriano
Silvia Viviana
SV
Veronesi
Alicia
A
Pezzani
Betina Cecilia
BC
Minvielle
Marta Cecilia
MC
Basualdo
Juan Angel
JA
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*
D012987:Soil