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Revista Cubana de Medicina Tropical
On-line version ISSN 1561-3054
Abstract
LEPE-BALSALOBRE, Esperanza and RUBIO-SANCHEZ, Ricardo. Frequency of intestinal parasitic infection in children with persistent diarrhea in Seville South Health Area. Rev Cubana Med Trop [online]. 2021, vol.73, n.3 Epub Dec 01, 2021. ISSN 1561-3054.
Introduction:
Persistent diarrhea belongs in a large category known as chronic diarrhea syndrome, a relatively common concern in children's medical consultation. The importance and prevalence of persistent diarrhea of parasitic etiology are not sufficiently known in Spain.
Objective:
Determine the prevalence of intestinal parasite infection in children with persistent diarrhea syndrome and the clinical characteristics associated to its parasitic etiology in Seville South Health Area (Spain).
Methods:
A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted during one year (May 2017 to May 2018) of patients in pediatric ages who attended consultation for a diarrhea picture of more than two weeks' evolution and/or abdominal pain. Laboratory testing included determination of reducing substances, fecal leukocytes and fats, as well as of the causative agents of the infection (bacteria, viruses or parasites).
Results:
Of the 777 children included in the study, 406 (52.3%) were male and 37 (147.7%) were female; mean age was six years (1 month to 14 years). Parasites were detected in 6.9% (54/777) of the samples. Stratification of results by parasite type showed that 24.1% (13 cases) corresponded to Giardia sp., 14.8 % (8 cases) to Cryptosporidium sp., 55.6 % (30 cases) to Blastocystis sp., 3.6 % (2 cases) to Dientamoeba sp. y 1.9 % (1 case) to Endolimax sp.
Conclusions:
According to the results obtained, the prevalence of parasites with demonstrated clinical value is 2.7%. It is therefore advisable to include the study of parasites in a second stage, after ruling out other clinical conditions which are more prevalent in children with persistent diarrhea, and limit the study to the detection of Giardia sp. and Cryptosporidium sp.
Keywords : persistent diarrhea; Giardia sp.; infectious; parasites.