title: HIGH PREVALENCE OF Blastocystis spp. INFECTION IN CHILDREN AND STAFF MEMBERS ATTENDING PUBLIC URBAN SCHOOLS IN SÃO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL.
abstract: After a gastroenteritis outbreak of unknown etiology in the municipality of Sebastião da Grama, São Paulo, Brazil, we conducted a parasitological survey to establish the epidemiological profile of enteroparasitosis in children and staff members attending the public urban schools in operation in town. The cross-sectional study evaluated 172 children aged 11 months to 6 years old and 33 staff members aged 19 to 58 years old. Overall, 96 (55.81%) children and 20 (60.61%) staff members were mono-parasitized, while 58 (33.72%) children and 4 (12.12%) workers were poly-parasitized. Protozoa (88.37%; 72.73%) was more prevalent than helminthes (3.48%; 0%) in children and staff members respectively.Blastocystis spp. was the most prevalent parasite in children (86.63%) and staff members (66.67%). The age of 1 year old or less was found to be associated with increased prevalence of giardiasis [OR = 13.04; 95%CI 2.89-58.91; p = 0.00] and public garbage collection was identified as a protective factor against intestinal helminth infections [OR = 0.06; 95%CI 0.00-0.79; p = 0.03]. Although most of the children tested positive for Blastocystis spp. and also presented clinical signs/symptoms (62.2%), this association was not statistically significant [OR = 1.35; 95%CI 0.53-3.44; p = 0.51]. Intestinal parasites still represent a public health concern and this study underscores the importance of further investigations to better understand the pathogenic role of Blastocystis spp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Brazil, mayrafrozonirebolla@gmail.com, mfranco@unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Mayra Frozoni
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rebolla
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Campinas, Brazil, emsilva@unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Eliete Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Brazil, jgomes@ic.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Jancarlo Ferreira
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Institute of Computing, University of Campinas, Brazil, afalcao@ic.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Alexandre Xavier
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Falcão
authors.affiliation: vicentinafrozoni@hotmail.com, Brazil, vicentinafrozoni@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria Vicentina Frozoni
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Rebolla
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Brazil, mayrafrozonirebolla@gmail.com, mfranco@unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Regina Maura Bueno
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult