title: [Soil-transmitted helminth trends and prevalence in La Virgen, Colombia 1995-2005].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describing soil-transmitted helminthiasis prevalence and trends in children aged less than 15 in the village of La Virgen, Cundinamarca.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three non-random surveys were carried out on school-children aged 0 to 15 years. Intestinal parasitism was determined In the three cross-sectional studies by direct examination of fecal samples and modified Ritchie-Frick concentration method. Intestinal parasitism distribution was analysed and the trend during 1995-2005 described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of intestinal parasitism in children aged less than 5 increased from 62,5 % in 1995 to 66,7 % in 2001 and to 69 % in 2005; soil-transmitted helminthiasis prevalence in this age group was 37,5 % in 1995, 23,6 % in 2001 and 27,6 % in 2005. The prevalence of intestinal parasitism for children aged over 5 increased from 86,2 % in 1995 to 89,1 % in 2005; soil-transmitted helminthiasis prevalence was 62,9 % in 1995, 39,8 % in 2001 and 23,9 % in 2005.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Soil-transmitted helminthiasis was endemic and presented high prevalence during the study period. Effective control measures are needed to prevent intestinal parasitism in pre-school and schoolchildren.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia. jfernandeznino@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Julián A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fernández-Niño
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reyes-Harker
authors.forename: Ligia I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Moncada-Alvarez
authors.forename: Myriam C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: María Del Pilar
authors.initials: Mdel P
authors.lastname: Cháves
authors.forename: Angélica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knudson
authors.forename: Yoseth
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ariza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012988:Soil Microbiology