Levantamento epidemiológico de zoonoses parasitárias em assentamento rural na microrregião de Patos-PB, Brasil.

Abstract

Intestinal parasites of dogs can produce important diseases in humans. Among the most prevalent intestinal parasites in dogs are zoonotic species, Ancylostoma sp. and Toxocara sp. which accidentally affect the man especially the children triggering the diseases Larva migrans cutaneous and larva migrans visceral, respectively. Children are the most vulnerable to intestinal parasites because they present the immune defense system in training. Despite advances in technology for adopting new approaches to dog care, zoonoses caused by intestinal parasites of dogs are still a permanent public health problem in developing countries. The objective of this work was to identify infectious forms of parasites with zoonotic importance in the faeces of dogs and children, and the possible risk factors for the transmission of enteroparasitoses, determining the parasitological and parasitological and hematological conditions of the children settled in a rural community in the microregion of Patos in Paraíba, Brazil. Feces and blood samples were collected from 30 children and faeces samples from 30 dogs from the community. The diagnosis was made using the techniques of Willis, McMaster direct examination in the feces of dogs. For the children, the Hoffman technique was used and, in addition, a semi-structured questionnaire was applied considering epidemiological determinants. The prevalence of enteroparasitoses in dogs was 66.7% and all species found in feces had zoonotic potential (Ancylostoma spp., Toxocara canis, Dipylidium caninum and Strongylóides spp.). The prevalence of enteroparasitoses was 30.0% in the children and they did not present hematological alterations. The coexistence with the dog was an important factor in the development of giardiasis in the population of children studied, where 10.0% of these were parasitized with this parasite. The rate of parasite infection in dogs and in children indicates the need for hygiene and sanitary education, therapeutic and prophylactic measures.