PARÁSITOS INTESTINALES EN HABITANTES DE LA COMUNIDAD INDÍGENA SAN ANTONIO DE RAUDALITO, ESTADO BOLÍVAR, VENEZUELA.

Between april and may 2016, a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in inhabitants of the indigenous community San Antonio de Raudalito, Cedeño municipality of Bolivar state, Venezuela. Sixty-two inhabitants aged between 6 months and 72 years were evaluated, with a mean of 14.8 ± 14.7 years. The distribution by sex was 64.5% females and 34.5% males. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 88.7%, with no differences in relation to age (X² = 5.18 d.f.: 5; p > 0.05) or gender (X² = 0.19 d.f.: 1; p > 0.05). Of the 55 cases of intestinal parasitosis, 83.6% presented polyparasitism. The protozoa were more prevalent with 89.1%. Eleven taxa of parasites were found, with the protozoan Entamoeba coli being the most frequent with 64.5%, followed by the chromist Blastocystis spp. with 58.1% and the group of hookworms among helminths (32.3%). In the group of polyparasited persons, the most common association was Blastocystis spp.-E. coli (15.2%). In conclusion, a high prevalence of 88.7% of intestinal parasites among the evaluated persons was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]