Contribuição dos exames parasitológicos de fezes para o diagnóstico das parasitoses intestinais realizados no Setor de Parasitologia/DPML/FAMED no período de 2012 a 2021

Abstract

Enteroparasitoses are a type of parasitism caused by protozoa and helminths that colonize the intestines of vertebrates. They are endemic in underdeveloped countries, occurring mainly in areas without basic sanitation. The symptoms caused by these infections are often non specific. Because of this, laboratory diagnosis, through parasitological stool tests, becomes necessary to detect the presence of intestinal parasites. These p arasitological tests, besides serving as a tool for the establishment of treatment measures, can also be used in epidemiological studies for the development of preventive measures. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the contributions of para sitological stool tests performed at the Parasitology Sector of the Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine of the School of Medicine UFC, between the years 2012 and 2021, for the diagnosis of intestinal parasitoses. Information was collected from the parasitological stool reports (EPF) obtained from the Parasitological Test Registry of the Parasitology Sector regarding age, sex, tests requested and results. The sample consisted of 282 reports, 144 (48.9%) were female and 144 (51.1%) were male. The results showed that no relationship was observed between intestinal parasite infections and sex of the individuals studied. Regarding the age group, children aged 0 to 9 years showed a higher frequency of intestinal parasitoses, possibly due to their grea ter exposure to contaminated environments. The most commonly found parasites were the species with percutaneous transmission ( Strongyloides stercoralis and hookworms). These parasites have a higher occurrence in areas contaminated with feces, where it is c ommon for the population to walk barefoot. Among the EPFs methods that presented positive results, the Lutz method, or Hoffmann, Pons &Janer, showed greater positivity, being able to identify both protozoa and helminths, probably because it is a sedimentat ion method and has a broad indication for helminth eggs and protozoan cysts. In summary, the parasitological examination of feces confirms that it is an excellent tool for the identification of intestinal parasites.