Intestinal parasites in a quilombola community of the Northern State of Espírito Santo, Brazil Parasitos intestinais em comunidade quilombola do Norte do Espírito Santo, Brasil

The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of intestinal parasites in a quilombola community from the northern Espírito Santo, Brazil. Descendants of slaves who arrived in Brazil in the sixteenth century, this population settled in the municipality of São Mateus in 1858. Fresh fecal samples from 82 individuals who agreed to participate in the study were collected between August 2009 and July 2010, and immediately sent to the Clinical Laboratory of the Centro Universitário Norte do Espírito Santo of the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo for analysis. Out of all the participants, 36 (43.9%) were male and 46 (56.1%) were female, whose ages ranged from six to 85 years. The study of the occurrence of intestinal parasites indicated that 35 individuals (42.7%) were infected with at least one intestinal parasite. Among helminths, the most frequent were hookworms, with a rate of 14.6%. With regard to protozoa, Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar and Endolimax nana stood out, with frequencies of 23.2%, 8.5% and 4.9%, respectively. The occurrence of biparasitism was observed in 13 of the 82 subjects, accounting for 15.8%, and no cases of multiple parasitic infections were observed. It was concluded that the reduction of cases of intestinal diseases due to parasites will only be achieved with the improvement of basic sanitation and quality of life of quilombola populations.O objetivo do presente estudo foi determinar a ocorrência de parasitos intestinais em população quilombola do Norte do Espírito Santo. Descendentes de escravos que chegaram ao Brasil a partir do século XVI, essa população estabeleceu-se no município de São Mateus no ano de 1858. Entre agosto de 2009 e julho de 2010, amostras fecais de 82 indivíduos que aceitaram participar do trabalho foram coletadas, a fresco, e, imediatamente, encaminhadas ao Laboratório de Análises Clínicas do Centro Universitário Norte do Espírito Santo da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo para análise. Do total de participantes, 36 (43,9%) eram do sexo masculino e 46 (56,1%) do sexo feminino, cujas idades variaram de seis a 85 anos. O estudo de ocorrência das enteroparasitoses indicou que 35 indivíduos (42,7%) apresentaram-se infectados por pelo menos um parasito intestinal. Entre os helmintos, os mais frequentes foram os ancilostomídeos com taxa de 14,6%. Com relação aos protozoários, destacaram-se Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar e Endolimax nana com 23,2%, 8,5% e