Evaluation of enteroparasite control activities in a Kaingáng community of Southern Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the parasitological state of families in an indigenous community after institution of enteroparasite control measures.


METHODS
A longitudinal study was conducted between 2004 and 2006 among 447 individuals of the Kaingáng ethnic group, in the municipality of Cândido de Abreu, Southern Brazil. The enteroparasite control measures were: sanitation improvements in 2003, antiparasite treatments that were administered during the study period, and health education activities that were started in 2005. Parasitological health indicators were obtained through three coproparasitological surveys (in 2004, 2005 and 2006), in which 250, 147 and 126 stool samples, respectively, were collected. These were evaluated using the spontaneous sedimentation, centrifugation-flotation and Kato-Katz methods. Housing and hygiene conditions were assessed by means of a questionnaire applied to 69 (2004), 57 (2005) and 38 (2006) of the 90 families.


RESULTS
The overall prevalences of enteroparasites were 91.6% (2004), 94.6% (2005) and 87.3% (2006) and did not show any significant reduction. The prevalence of some species decreased, while the prevalence of others increased significantly. High-intensity infections due to geohelminths presented rates of less than 2% over the study period. The proportion of the interviewees who reported using a toilet increased from 38.8% to 71.1% (p< 0.005) and the proportion taking antiparasite agents increased from 70.2% to 100% (p= 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
There were significant improvements in the parasitological health indicators, such as reductions in the prevalence of some species of enteroparasites and maintenance of a low parasite load, thus showing the importance of combining antiparasite treatment with sanitation improvements.
Toledo
Max Jean de Ornelas
MJ
Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Av. Colombo 5790, Maringá, PR, Brazil. mjotoledo@uem.br
Paludetto
Andrey Wilder
AW
Moura
Fabiana de Toledo
Fde T
Nascimento
Evaldo Silva do
ES
Chaves
Marta
M
Araújo
Silvana Marques de
SM
Mota
Lúcio Tadeu
LT
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005006:Ethnicity; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D012499:Sanitation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult