[Soil-transmitted helminth trends and prevalence in La Virgen, Colombia 1995-2005].
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.
Fernández-Niño
Julián A
JA
Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia. jfernandeznino@yahoo.com
Reyes-Harker
Patricia
P
Moncada-Alvarez
Ligia I
LI
López
Myriam C
MC
Cháves
María Del Pilar
Mdel P
Knudson
Angélica
A
Ariza
Yoseth
Y
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