Combination of factors that increase the risk of contamination by geohelminths larvae in the south coast of Bahia, Brazil/ Combinação de fatores que aumentam o risco de contaminação por larvas de geohelmintos no litoral sul da Bahia

• Autor(a) principal: Silva, Jullyan Mendes Silva da
• Data de Publicação: 2019
• Outros Autores: Mariano, Ana Paula Melo, Silva, Marcelo Fernandes da
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista Veras
• Texto Completo: https://ojs.brazilianjournals.com.br/ojs/index.php/BRJD/article/view/5208
• topic: Ancylostomiasis; helminthes; environmental health; veterinary parasitolog

The lack of basic sanitation and improper pet owner's habits on contaminated environments are essential elements for soil-transmitted helmithiasis. The objective herein was to confirm beach sands contamination by geohelminths larvae and to construct geospatial scenarios combining the factors involved. Sand samples (n=162) were collected by a standardized method and investigated by an adapted microscopy technique. All data were statically tested by Pearson correlation coefficients, Student’s or Tukey’s t tests with 5% of significance. A significant higher contamination of beach sands by geohelminths larvae (p<0,001) occurred where combination of anthropogenic factors (improper sewage and sanitation, and the presence of dogs) with increased relative humidity (60 to 85%) and higher temperatures (23 to 28o C) at the height sites (> 2 meters) in relation to sea surface. Larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis were more frequent in the beach sands contaminated by improper sanitation and sewage (33%; p < 0.01) and Ancylostoma spp. were more frequent in the beach sand with the presence of dogs (38%; p <0.01). Beach contamination by geohelminths’ larvae increases when a combination of factors occurs such as improper handling of waste, inadequate sewage disposal and the presence of dogs in the highest sites of the shoreline.