Figure 1Map of the Huanuco region. The arrow shows the Amarilis district where the study was conducted.
Table 1Descriptive analysis of demographic data (n = 185)
|
Data |
Gender |
Male |
95 (51.4) |
Female |
90 (48.6) |
Age (y) |
10.1 ± 2.9 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) |
17.2 ± 2.4 |
Participating schools |
Paucar |
48 (25.9) |
Sarapampa primaria |
33 (17.8) |
Sarapampa scundaria |
32 (17.3) |
Sharicancha |
32 (17.3) |
Cachuna |
22 (11.9) |
Matamarca |
18 (9.7) |
Parasite infections |
Pathogenic parasite infections |
137 (74.1) |
Nonpathogenic parasite infectionsa
|
48 (25.9) |
Table 2Parasitological findings
|
Monoparasitism (n = 170) |
Polyparasitism (n = 15) |
Total (n = 185) |
Prevalence (%)a
|
Nonpathogenic parasite |
Entamoeba coli
|
11 |
8 |
19 |
10.3 |
Chilomastix mesnili
|
16 |
1 |
17 |
9.2 |
Iodamoeba buschii
|
19 |
3 |
22 |
11.9 |
Subtotal |
46 |
12 |
58 |
31.4 |
Pathogenic parasite |
Ascaris lumbricoides
|
62 |
7 |
69 |
37.3 |
Blastocystis hominis
|
8 |
2 |
10 |
5.4 |
Enterobius vermicularis
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
1.1 |
Giardia lamblia
|
22 |
6 |
28 |
15.1 |
Hymenolepis nana
|
14 |
1 |
15 |
8.1 |
Strongyloides stercoralis
|
6 |
0 |
6 |
3.2 |
Trichuris trichiura
|
11 |
1 |
12 |
6.5 |
Subtotal |
124 |
18 |
142 |
76.8 |
Total |
170 |
30 |
200 |
100 |
Table 3Risk factors of pathogenic parasite infection
Variable |
Students with |
Total (n = 185) |
p-value |
Pathogenic parasite (n = 137) |
Nonpathogenic parasite (n = 48) |
Body mass index (kg/m2) |
17.2 ± 2.4 |
17.3 ± 2.3 |
17.2 ± 2.4 |
0.687 |
Number of family members |
5.7 ± 2.1 |
5.1 ± 1.8 |
5.5 ± 2.0 |
0.119 |
Raising animals at home |
132 (96.4) |
48 (100) |
180 (97.3) |
0.547 |
Washing hands before meals |
106 (77.4) |
45 (93.8) |
151 (81.6) |
0.025 |
Wearing shoes |
87 (63.5) |
32 (66.7) |
119 (64.3) |
0.875 |
Drinking water sources |
|
|
|
0.804 |
Natural water |
75 (54.7) |
28 (58.3) |
103 (55.7) |
|
Mineral water |
3 (2.2) |
0 (0.0) |
3 (1.6) |
|
Boiled water |
27 (19.7) |
9 (18.8) |
36 (19.5) |
|
Tap water |
27 (19.7) |
11 (22.9) |
38 (20.5) |
|
Non-response |
5 (3.6) |
0 (0) |
5 (2.7) |
|
Eating raw vegetables |
75 (54.7) |
26 (54.2) |
101 (54.6) |
0.790 |
Using latrine |
76 (55.5) |
30 (62.5) |
106 (57.3) |
0.518 |
Cultivating vegetable garden |
119 (86.9) |
44 (91.7) |
163 (88.1) |
0.663 |
Using fertilizers with human feces |
19 (13.9) |
3 (6.3) |
22 (11.9) |
0.144 |
Parent’s knowledge of parasite transmission route |
29 (21.2) |
11 (22.9) |
40 (21.6) |
0.874 |
Parent’s knowledge of parasite infection state in their children |
43 (31.4) |
15 (31.3) |
58 (31.4) |
0.891 |