High Prevalence of Intestinal Pathogens in Indigenous in Colombia.

Background: Intestinal infections remain a major public health burden in developing countries. Due to social, ecological, environmental, and cultural conditions, Indigenous peoples in Colombia are at particularly high risk.
Materials: 137 stool samples were analyzed by microscopy and real-time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), targeting protozoan parasites ( Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium spp., and Cyclospora cayetanensis ), bacteria ( Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp., Shigella ssp. / enteroinvasive E. coli ( EIEC) , Yersinia spp., enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) , enteropathogenic E. coli ( EPEC) , enterotoxin-producing E. coli ( ETEC) , enteroaggregative E. coli ( EAEC) , and Tropheryma whipplei), and helminths ( Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma spp., Trichuris. trichiura, Taenia spp., Hymenolepis nana , Enterobius vermicularis , and Schistosoma spp.). Microscopy found additional cases of helminth infections.
Results: At least one pathogen was detected in 93% of the samples. The overall results revealed protozoa in 79%, helminths in 69%, and bacteria in 41%. G. intestinalis (48%) , Necator/hookworm (27%), and EAEC (68%) were the most common in each group. Noteworthy, T. whipplei was positive in 7% and T. trichirua in 23% of the samples. A significant association of one infection promoting the other was determined for G. intestinalis and C. jejuni, helminth infections, and EIEC.
Conclusions: The results illustrate the high burden of gastrointestinal pathogens among Indigenous peoples compared to other developing countries. Countermeasures are urgently required.