RESUMO
We studied 91 faecal specimens of 38 children and 53 adults in a five-day epidemiological survey between the end of February and the beginning of March, 2006. The subjects were in- or out-patients of Chacas Hospital, Ancash. The O&P were performed with macroscopic evaluation, microscopic (direct and after formalin-ether concentration, FEA) observations and Giemsa permanent stain of all faecal samples. 61 subjects (67.0%) were infected with parasites (25 children, 65.5%, and 36 adults, 67.9%). D. fragilis was prevalent in 30.8% of subjects (28.9% of children, 32.1% of adults); G. duodenalis was observed in 12.1% of cases (21.1% of children and 5.7% of adults); A. lumbricoides was observed in 15.4% of cases (18.4% and 19.9% respectively); other helminths were identified in 7.7% of cases (10.1% and 5.7% respectively); non-pathogenic protozoa alone were observed in 23.1% of cases (28.9% among children and 19.9% among adults). D. fragilis was more frequent among females (44.7% vs. 20.8%), while G. duodenalis and A. lumbricoides among males (13.2% vs. 10.5% and 17.0% vs. 13.2% respectively). We emphasize the usefulness of both FEA and Giemsa permanent stain for a good O&P.