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Anemia, nutritional status and intestinal parasites in children from homes in Guayas

Abstract:

Intestinal parasites mainly affect underdeveloped countries, where socioeconomic and geographical conditions are conducive to development, with a higher prevalence in the child population. These infections have been associated with malnutrition and anemia, considered the most serious nutritional disorders globally. A descriptive study was carried out in 87 children from the province of Guayas, Ecuador, aged between 24 and 59 months, to determine anemia, evaluate nutritional status and intestinal parasitosis. A higher proportion of eutrophic infants was obtained for height and BMI according to gender and age group; boys had a higher prevalence of overweight, obesity, delayed height and thinness, compared to girls; In addition, the age group between 4 -5 years presented greater retardation in growth and thinness. Likewise, 24.14% of children presented anemia and significantly parasitized individuals presented anemia, greater delay in height and thinness, compared to those without parasitization; being the protozoa Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba coli and Giardia intestinalis the most frequent, while Enterobius vermicularis and Ascaris lumbricoides were the predominant helminths. The present study shows nutritional deficiencies associated with anemia and infection by intestinal parasites in children under 5 years of age in the province of Guayas; whose population requires adequate health and sanitation services, access to food, appropriate hygiene practices and health education, which contribute to lessen the effects of these pathologies and their complications.