Association between diet and intestinal parasitosis in a rural community of Ecuador: An epidemiological analysis

Abstract

Introduction. Enteroparasitic infections represent a public health problem due to their high prevalence in developing countries. The rural population is exposed to contagion due to poverty, lack of drinking water and poor hygienic-sanitary conditions. Objective. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the association between ingested foods and enteroparasites diagnosed in residents of the community of Cuatro Esquinas, San Andrés, Guano, Chimborazo. Methodology. Descriptive, field, transversal and prospective study. The sampling was non-probabilistic snowball sampling. The information was collected through surveys and coproparasitological diagnosis (direct examination, Ritchie, Kato-Katz, Ziehl-Neelsen). A total of 49 individuals (4 and 88 years old), male (19) and female (30), who provided fecal samples, were evaluated. Results. All individuals were infected, there was a higher prevalence of protozoa (100%) than helminths (4.08%) (X²=82.653; p<0.0001). The predominant parasites were Blastocystis sp. (77.55%), Endolimax nana (67.35%) and Entamoeba coli (36.73%) (X²=170.85; p<0.0001), and the only helminth detected was Ascaris lumbricoides (4.08 %). The statistical study did not verify a significant association between the declared foods of consumption (vegetables, fruits, foods of animal origin, grains) and the parasites detected in people. However, the epidemiological study highlights that 83.67% of individuals remain with dirty hands (X²=22.837; p<0.0001) and that 69.3% of individuals consume food at street stalls (X²=53.327; p<0.0001). Conclusion. It is concluded that the foods consumed by the participants are not vehicles for enteroparasites, but it should be considered as factors associated with transmission that most people remain with dirty hands and consume food at street stalls. General study area: Clinical Laboratory. Specific study area: Parasitology. Type of study: Original article.