title: [Blastocystis sp. frequency and sources among children from 0 to 5 years of age attending public day care centers in Calarcá, Colombia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are no reports of the potential sources of Blastocystis sp . in Colombia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the frequency of Blastocystis sp . and explore possible associations among infection, clinical manifestations and environmental sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive study was conducted; a representative sample was calculated from a population of 1,993 children less than 5 years old of the lowest socioeconomic levels (1 and 2) attending day care centers in Calarcá, Colombia. The calculated sample size was 275 children, who were selected randomly in 10 % of the centers. Stool testing, questionnaires and sampling to identify the parasite in feces, nails, pets and environmental sources, were performed. Fresh preparations were made with 1% iodine solution, and a concentration technique with formalin-ether was used. Prevalence and odd ratios were estimated; the chi-square test was utilized for qualitative variables, and Student's t for the quantitative ones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of infection in children was of 57.5%. A statistically significant association was found between the Blastocystis sp . positive stool tests and the presence of the parasite in containers of sugar cane beverage (OR=1.70; 95% CI: 1.05-2.79), wood or ground floors (OR=3.43; 95% CI: 1.12-10.48) and in foods other than bottled milk (OR=3.23; 95% CI: 1.41-4.41). A non-significant high prevalence was found in nails (OR=1.62; 95% CI: 0.99-2.67), as well as a significantly higher prevalence of diarrhea (OR=1.95; 95% CI: 0.99-2.77) in children with Blastocystis sp . (45%) as compared with those without the parasite (33%; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blastocystis sp . showed a significant association with diarrhea symptoms in children 0 to 5 years old and was widely distributed in the environment and in water. It is necessary to determine if there are specific hosts with pathogenic potential through molecular techniques.
authors: Grupo de In vestigación en Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Programa de Medicina, Universidad del Quindío.
authors: Ángela Liliana
authors: ÁL
authors: Londoño-Franco
authors: Grupo GEPAMOL, Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Quindío.
authors: Juliana
authors: J
authors: Loaiza-Herrera
authors: Grupo GEPAMOL, Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Quindío.
authors: Fabiana María
authors: FM
authors: Lora-Suárez
authors: Grupo GEPAMOL, Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Quindío.
authors: Jorge Enrique
authors: JE
authors: Gómez-Marín
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016776:Blastocystis Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D002656:Child Day Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D050456:Fomites; D016266:Food Parasitology; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009262:Nails / Q000469:parasitology; D033661:Oocysts; D057805:Pets / Q000469:parasitology; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D014867:Water