RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship of past and current intestinal helminth infections with asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis and atopy. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 1320 children aged 4-14 years from two Cuban municipalities. Helminth infections were determined by stool examination and parental questionnaire. Asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic dermatitis were diagnosed by International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire, asthma additionally by spirometry, atopy by skin prick testing. RESULTS: Questionnaire-based frequencies were 21% for asthma, 14% for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and 8% for atopic dermatitis. According to spirometry, 4% had asthma; 20% had a positive skin prick test. A history of infection for Enterobius vermicularis was associated with increased risk of atopic dermatitis (OR 1.88, P = 0.001) and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (OR 1.34, P = 0.046), and hookworm with increased risk of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (OR 2.77, P = 0.021). A positive stool examination for Ascaris lumbricoides infection was negatively associated with atopic dermatitis (OR 0.22, P = 0.007). Asthma and atopy were unrelated to helminth infections. CONCLUSION: Current A. lumbricoides infection protects against atopic dermatitis in Cuban children, while past infection with E. vermicularis and hookworm are risk factors for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or atopic dermatitis. Apparently, interactions differ depending on the type of helminth and atopic disease and on the time of helminth infestation.
Assuntos
Asma/complicações , Helmintíase/complicações , Hipersensibilidade/complicações , Enteropatias Parasitárias/complicações , Adolescente , Animais , Ascaríase/imunologia , Ascaris lumbricoides/imunologia , Asma/diagnóstico , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Conjuntivite Alérgica/complicações , Conjuntivite Alérgica/diagnóstico , Cuba , Dermatite Atópica/complicações , Dermatite Atópica/diagnóstico , Dermatite Atópica/imunologia , Feminino , Helmintíase/diagnóstico , Helmintíase/imunologia , Humanos , Hipersensibilidade/diagnóstico , Hipersensibilidade/etiologia , Hipersensibilidade/imunologia , Enteropatias Parasitárias/diagnóstico , Enteropatias Parasitárias/imunologia , Masculino , Rinite/complicações , Rinite/diagnóstico , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections and their risk factors in children in urban and rural settings in two Cuban municipalities. METHODS: A total of 1320 Cuban schoolchildren aged 4-14 were tested by stool examination for intestinal parasite infections and evaluated by parental questionnaire for a number of common environmental, sanitary, socioeconomic and behavioural risk factors. Multivariate regression was applied to examine the relationship between the respective parasite infections and the risk factors. RESULTS: Prevalences of intestinal parasite infections were 58% in Fomento and 45% in San Juan y Martínez; for helminth infections, these were 18% and 24% and for protozoa infections, 50% and 29%, respectively. Helminth infections were associated with high parental education (maternal: OR 0.68, CI 0.50-0.93; paternal: OR 0.71, CI 0.52-0.96), absence of toilet (OR 1.57, CI 1.12-2.19), consumption of water from a well or river (OR 0.56, CI 0.41-0.77) and eating unpeeled/unwashed fruit (OR 1.37, CI 1.01-1.87); protozoa infections were only associated with high maternal education (OR 0.72, CI 0.57-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Paediatric intestinal parasite infections are still prevalent in certain areas in Cuba and associated with a number of common environmental, socioeconomic and sanitary risk factors.
Assuntos
Enteropatias Parasitárias/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos Transversais , Cuba/epidemiologia , Escolaridade , Feminino , Humanos , Enteropatias Parasitárias/etiologia , Enteropatias Parasitárias/transmissão , Masculino , Prevalência , Fatores de Risco , Saúde da População Rural/estatística & dados numéricos , Saneamento/estatística & dados numéricos , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Saúde da População Urbana/estatística & dados numéricosRESUMO
Recently, our group determined the relationship between serum CAA levels and fecal egg counts in two foci very intense Schistosoma mansoni transmission: Maniema (Zaire), an area endemic for S. mansoni since several decades, and Ndombo (Senegal), where transmission has only been established since a few years. The objetive was to study and compare age-related worm load and worm fecundity patterns in these two different endemic settings. Here, we will summarize the most important findings and conclusions of this study.