Parasitoses de interesse clínico em sedimento de rio: uma abordagem na Saúde Pública.

Lack of basic sanitation facilitates the spread of parasitic diseases that impact human health, with the sediment being able to house these microorganisms. The present study aims to evaluate the presence of pathogenic parasites to humans in riverbank sediments, addressing the risks of parasitic infections in public health. Eighty samples of sediments from the Paranhana and Caí rivers were evaluated using the HPJ technique. Fifty-three positive samples (66.2%) were obtained with different parasites, Ancylostoma sp., Strongyloides sp., Endolimax nana, Ascaris lumbricoides, Toxocara canis, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Trichiuris trichiura and Taenia sp. Places with greater urbanization presented 60% of positive samples and a greater number of species. Riverbank sediments indicated to be an appropriate means for the maintenance of infectious forms of parasites. Adequate sanitation is necessary in order to minimize environmental contamination as well as the population's health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]