Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and risk factors in children from Camagüey province
Keywords:
Children; intestinal parasites and epidemiology; diagnostic; prevalence; Camagüey.Abstract
Background: Intestinal parasitoses represent a global health problem in developing countries, primarily affecting children, the most vulnerable group. In Cuba, national studies on intestinal parasitism have highlighted the importance of controlling these infections in Cuban children.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated risk factors in children from Camagüey Province.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,300 children between June and September 2023. One stool sample per child was analyzed using three parasitological techniques. Outstanding clinical and epidemiological data were collected through a validated questionnaire.
Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 58.9%. The most frequent intestinal parasites were Blastocystis spp. (583; 44.8%) and Giardia duodenalis (131; 10.1%). The municipalities of Florida (71.7%), Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (70.0%), and Vertientes (68.8%) showed the highest rates of parasitic infection. No risk factors associated with a higher likelihood of intestinal parasitic infection were identified in the children studied. Loss of weight statistically associated with intestinal parasitic infection.
Conclusion: A high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was reported, underscoring the need to promote prevention and control programs in the municipalities with the highest incidence, as well as more frequent parasitological surveillance studies.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Yunielkys Marrero Alvarez, Néstor Navarro Vega, Juan Carlos Ivars-Enríquez, Fidel Ángel Núñez Fernández, Luis Enrique Jerez Puebla
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