Occurrence of enteroparasites in the elderly population of Nova Olinda do Norte, Amazonas, Brazil

Foi realizado um estudo para avaliar a preval??ncia de enteroparasitas em um grupo de idosos ribeirinhos, moradores do Munic??pio de Nova Olinda do Norte, Estado do Amazonas ??? Brasil, no per??odo de abril e agosto de 1999. Por meio de um estudo de corte transversal foram analisados 81 exames, atrav??s do m??todo de Sedimenta????o Espont??nea (M??todo de Hoffman et al., 1934). Foi constatada positividade em 72,8% dos idosos, predominando o monoparasitismo (43,2%). Os helmintos foram os mais freq??entes (70,4%), destacando-se: Ascaris lumbricoides (35,2%), Trichuris trichiura (16,0%), Ancylostoma duodenale (9,0%) e Strongyloides stercoralis (9,0%). Dentre os protozo??rios (29,5%), a ocorr??ncia de Entamoeba coli foi de 18,2%, Gi??rdia lamblia de 7,0% e Entamoeba histolytica 4,5%. N??o houve associa????o estatisticamente significativa entre sexo e grau de parasitismo e entre faixas et??rias e condi????o parasit??ria. Estes resultados evidenciam um quadro de alta preval??ncia de parasitas intestinais nesta popula????o e discordam dos reportados por outros pesquisadores quando afirmam que a intensidade da infesta????o por parasitas diminui na idade avan??ada. Os achados anteriores exigem das autoridades governamentais medidas de controle e educa????o para melhorar a qualidade de vida desses idosos, considerando a grave repercuss??o que esses parasitas tem no estado nutricional dos gerontes de baixa renda.A study was carried out to determine the prevalence of enteroparasites attacking elderly people living in a riverside city of the Municipal district of Nova Olinda do Norte, Amazonas State Brazil. In this cross sectional study were examined the faecal material from 81 elderly people using the method of spontaneous sedimentation (Hoffman et al., 1934). It was found a positiveness in 72,8% of the elderly people examined, predominating the mono parasitism (43,2%). The helminths were more frequents (70,3%): Ascaris lumbricoides (35,2%), Trichuris trichiura (16,0%), Ancylostoma duodenale (9,0%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (9,0%). Among the protozoans (29,7%) the most frequents were: Entamoeba col?? (18,2%), Giardia lamblia (7,0%) and Entamoeba histolytica (4,5%). %. There was not a significant statistically association between sex and parasitism degree and between aging profiles and parasitism condition. The above results showed a high prevalence of intestinal parasites in the elderly people of this small town. These results are in disagreement with those reported by another researchers when pointed out that parasitism intensity decreased with aging. The above situation demands from the govern authorities urgent measured of control and education, considering the enormous problems that the enteroparasites cause on the nutritional status and health condition of elderly people with low socio-economic level