Abstract
Introduction: One of the main health issues affecting school-aged children is the presence of intestinal parasites. This situation is exacerbated by poor hygienic and sanitary conditions, poverty, overcrowding, and inadequate dietary and daily living habits.Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in school-aged children from various municipalities in Antioquia.Methods: Between 2018 and 2024, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a non-probabilistic convenience sampling approach. The presence of intestinal pathogens was determined through direct stool microscopy. Additionally, a survey was administered to assess the presence of risk factors associated with intestinal parasitosis.Results: A total of 805 stool samples were analyzed. The distribution of samples by municipality was as follows: Andes 114 (14.2%), Blanquizal 141 (17.5%), Gómez Plata 100 (12.4%), Guarne 77 (9.6%), Jardín 192 (24%), Palmitas 60 (7.5%), and San Pedro 114 (14.2%). The observed parasitic infection rates among children were: 420 (52%) infected by a pathogen, 353 (43.7%) with multiple intestinal pathogens, 104 (12.9%) with a pathogen and an opportunistic parasite, and 294 (36.4%) infected solely by an opportunistic parasite. The prevalence of specific parasites found was as follows: Blastocystis spp 386 (47.8%), Entamoeba histolytica complex 360 (44.6%), Endolimax nana 234 (29%), Entamoeba hartmanii 53 (6.6%), Entamoeba histolytica 51 (6.3%), Entamoeba coli 49 (6.1%), Giardia intestinalis 31 (3.8%), Cryptosporidium spp 14 (1.7%), Iodamoeba butschlii 2 (0.2%), and single cases of Ascaris lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis, Rodentolepis nana, and Uncinaria sp each with a prevalence of 0.1%. The prevalence of intestinal pathogens by municipality was as follows: Jardín 21 (21.7%), Blanquizal 77 (18.3%), Andes 74 (17.6%), San Pedro 59 (14%), Guarne 51 (12.1%), Gómez Plata 40 (9.5%), and Palmitas 28 (6.7%). Bivariate analysis showed a statistically significant relationship between municipality and presence of pathogens (p=0.002). Diarrhea was the only symptom significantly associated with the presence of pathogens (p=0.002), and consumption of raw or undercooked meat was the only dietary risk factor significantly related (p=0.02). Anal pruritus and underlying diseases were associated with the presence of E. histolytica (p<0.05). Consumption of raw meats was linked to the presence of the E. histolytica complex (p<0.05). Pet ownership was significantly associated with the presence of Ascaris lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis, Rodentolepis nana, and Uncinaria spp (p<0.05). Additionally, abdominal pain, vomiting, consumption of raw meat, and living with rodents were significantly associated with the presence of Endolimax nana (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is evident that intestinal parasites continue to be a public health problem, frequently affecting school-aged children. In this study, protozoa exhibited the highest prevalence rates, while helminths had lower prevalence, possibly due to deworming campaigns conducted in the department of Antioquia.
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