Prevalence and risk factors related to intestinal parasitosis in children under 18 years of age in four populations of Colombia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To identify the profile of intestinal parasitosis in children of four populations in the municipalities of Quibdó, Apartadó, Guachené, and Granada, Colombia, in 2012. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a secondary source of information, in which sociodemographic factors associated with the presence of parasites were analyzed in a univariate and bivariate manner. Results: A total of 240 individuals were analyzed. Two thirds of them were parasitized. The most frequent species were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (22.9%), Endolimax nana (19.2%), Blastocystis hominins (19.2%), and Giardia intestinalis (20.8%). An association between inadequate excreta disposal (latrine or septic tank) and the presence of parasitic colonization was found with a prevalence ratio (PR) of 1.34 [1.14, 1.59] (p=0.005). Similarly, housing construction with wood or baharequewas 1.31 times more frequent in subjects with parasitic forms in their stool samples than those with brick houses.Discussion: A higher frequency of intestinal parasites was found for the different age groups compared to several reports worldwide and in Latin America. The most frequent species of parasites were similar to those reported in the literature.Conclusions: Isolated populations in Colombia, such as those studied, have a higher frequency of intestinal parasites than other populations.