Geospatial analysis and prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth infections in an endemic area in Eastern Brazilian Amazon.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the occurrence of Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths in an endemic area in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon, analysing prevalence and spatial distribution. METHODS: The study was conducted in four localities of Primavera Municipality, in Pará state. Data was obtained from the Decit 40/2012 project and the participants were divided into five age range categories for evaluation: children, adolescents, young adults, adults and elderly individuals. For the diagnostic tests, Kato-Katz slides were prepared to detect S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths eggs. The spatial distribution map and the Kernel Density Estimation were performed to assess the presence and location of infections. RESULTS: Stool samples revealed the presence of hookworms, S. mansoni, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura eggs. Mono-, bi- and poly-parasitic infections were observed, with a significant prevalence of hookworm monoparasitism. CONCLUSIONS: The high frequency of children infected with soil-transmitted helminths confirms their significance as an ongoing public health problem in the poorest municipalities of Brazil. The Geographic Information System plays a crucial role in environmental surveillance and in the control of epidemics and endemic diseases, enabling accurate assessment and informed decision-making for their control.

Environmental health of water bodies from a Brazilian Amazon Metropolis based on a conventional and metagenomic approach.

AIMS: The present study aimed to use a conventional and metagenomic approach to investigate the microbiological diversity of water bodies in a network of drainage channels and rivers located in the central area of the city of Belém, northern Brazil, which is considered one of the largest cities in the Brazilian Amazon. METHODS AND RESULTS: In eight of the analyzed points, both bacterial and viral microbiological indicators of environmental contamination-physical-chemical and metals-were assessed. The bacterial resistance genes, drug resistance mechanisms, and viral viability in the environment were also assessed. A total of 473 families of bacteria and 83 families of viruses were identified. Based on the analysis of metals, the levels of three metals (Cd, Fe, and Mn) were found to be above the recommended acceptable level by local legislation. The levels of the following three physicochemical parameters were also higher than recommended: biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. Sixty-three bacterial resistance genes that conferred resistance to 13 different classes of antimicrobials were identified. Further, five mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance were identified and viral viability in the environment was confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: Intense human actions combined with a lack of public policies and poor environmental education of the population cause environmental degradation, especially in water bodies. Thus, urgent interventions are warranted to restore the quality of this precious and scarce asset worldwide.

Schistosoma mansoni infection in residents of a riverside community in Eastern Amazon.

Schistosoma mansoni worms cause a waterborne parasitic disease called schistosomiasis. It commonly affects individuals in lack of sanitation structure. In Brazil, Pará state has Belém as one of the worst sanitation-ranking places in 2023, where schistosomiasis transmission was already documented. This study reports the occurrence of schistosomiasis in residents of Ilha das Onças, an island next to Belém. Stool samples were obtained from participants over 2 years old, all residents from Furo do Rio Grande, one of the rivers on the island. The Kato-Katz technique was performed for parasite investigation in the stool samples. Each participant responded to a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire. The residences were georeferenced for map designing. Three out of 263 participants were S. mansoni positive, all men, ages ranging from 19 to 41 years old, with low parasitic load. Malacological surveys were carried out, but no Biomphalaria snails were found. Risk factors for schistosomiasis establishment are present on the island, and the lack of sanitation makes it a potential risk area. Malacological surveys are highly encouraged as preventive measures, as well as health surveillance for riverside populations, generating data that will help health authorities in the management and planning of preventive control actions.

Impact of a medication reconciliation care bundle at hospital discharge on continuity of care: A randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the impact of a care bundle including medication reconciliation at discharge by a pharmacist versus standard of care, on continuity of therapeutic changes between hospital and primary care and outcome of patients, within 1 month after discharge. METHODS: Randomised controlled trial in 120 adult patients with at least one chronic disease and three current medications before admission, hospitalised in an infectious disease department of a tertiary hospital and discharged home. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a discharge care bundle including medication reconciliation, counselling session and documentation transfer to primary care physician (PCP) (intervention group) or standard of care (control group). Primary outcome was the proportion of in-hospital prescription changes, not maintained by the PCP, 1 month after discharge. Secondary outcome measures included the proportion of patients experiencing early PCP's consultation, hospital readmissions or adverse reactions within 1-month postdischarge and cost of discharge prescriptions. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. One month after discharge, the proportion of in-hospital prescription changes, not maintained by the PCP, was 11% in the intervention group versus 24% in the control group (P = .007). The median delay before PCP's consultation was longer in the intervention group (30.5 vs 19.5 days, P = .013), there were fewer patients readmitted to hospital (3.4% vs 20.7%, P = .009, odds ratio (OR) = 0.13 [0.02-0.53]) and fewer patients who suffered from adverse drug reaction (7.0% vs 22.8%, P = .04, OR = 0.26 [0.07-0.78]). CONCLUSION: This care bundle resulted in the reduction of treatment changes between hospital discharge and primary care.

Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Brazil before the whole genome sequencing era: a literature review.

Molecular-typing can help in unraveling epidemiological scenarios and improvement for disease control strategies. A literature review of Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission in Brazil through genotyping on 56 studies published from 1996-2019 was performed. The clustering rate for mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units - variable tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) of 1,613 isolates were: 73%, 33% and 28% based on 12, 15 and 24-loci, respectively; while for RFLP-IS6110 were: 84% among prison population in Rio de Janeiro, 69% among multidrug-resistant isolates in Rio Grande do Sul, and 56.2% in general population in São Paulo. These findings could improve tuberculosis (TB) surveillance and set up a solid basis to build a database of Mycobacterium genomes.

Pediatric Cervical Aneurysmal Bone Cyst Treated by Endovascular Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a rare, benign, and expansible bone lesion, occurring mainly in childhood. Although most lesions are located at the metaphysis of long bones, they can also be found in flat bones and spine. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 16-year-old boy with cervical ABC treated by endovascular embolization. The afferents were occluded as a preoperative preparation for surgery; however, as the patient became asymptomatic after the procedure, the family refused surgery. Image at 1-year follow-up showed reduction and ossification of the lesion. CONCLUSION: Endovascular treatment decreases surgical morbidity by reducing blood loss, which is particularly important in the pediatric population. This therapeutic option may also halt ABC growth in selected cases.

Epidemiological and molecular investigation of norovirus and astrovirus infections in Rio Branco, Acre, Northern Brazil: A retrospective study.

Norovirus (NoV) is a major cause of nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreaks worldwide, with infections reported in semiclosed environments, particularly in hospitals and nursing homes. Astrovirus (HAstV) is prevalent worldwide, especially in developing countries. We aimed to determine the prevalence, spatial distribution, and genetic diversity of NoV and HAstV in children under 5 years of age in Rio Branco city, Acre State, Amazon Region, Brazil. Stool samples from children with (n = 240) and without (n = 248) AGE were collected from January to December 2012 from seven neighborhoods. The overall NoV prevalence was 12.3% (60 of 488); representing 15.8% (38 of 240) of the symptomatic samples and 8.9% (22 of 248) of the controls. HAstVs infection was observed in 4.7% (23 of 488) of the samples tested, 6.2% (15 of 240) of AGE cases, and 2.4% (6 of 248) of the controls (plus two without information about feces consistency). Infections were found in all age groups with higher frequency in children less than two years of age, for both viruses. NoV was detected in all neighborhoods, with a higher concentration in the fourth (30%; 18 of 60). NoV nucleotide sequencing performed in 86.7% (52 of 60) of the positive samples showed the circulation of the strains GII.4 (57.7%; 30 of 52), GIIPe/GII.4 (19.2%; 10 of 52), GII.7, GII.Pg/GII.1, and GII.Pc (3.8%; 2 of 52 for each), GII.6 and GII.Pg (1.9%; 1 of 52 for each), and GI.3 (7.7%; 4 of 52). Three GII.4 variants were detected: Den Haag_2006b (n = 1), New Orleans_2009 (n = 1), and Sydney_2012 (n = 14). HAstV types HAstV-1a (81.8%; 9 of 11) and HAstV-2c (18.2%; 2 of 11) were observed in the 47.8% (11 of 23) of characterized samples. This is the first data obtained in Acre State regarding the prevalence of these viruses and provides epidemiological and molecular information for a better understanding of their role among children with and without AGE.

Spatial risk analysis on occurrences and dispersal of Biomphalaria straminea in and endemic area for schistosomiasis.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: : Schistosomiasis is a rural endemic disease that has been expanding to urban and coastal areas in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The aim of this study was to characterize the distribution of breeding sites of the causative vector, Biomphalaria straminea in an endemic municipality for schistosomiasis and to present the predictive models for occurrences and dispersal of this vector snail to new areas. METHODS: : A malacological survey was conducted during January to December 2015 in the municipality of São Lourenço da Mata, Pernambuco, Brazil to identify the breeding sites of Biomphalaria. Faecal contamination was determined by means of the Colitag™ diagnostic kit. Rainfall data were collected, and correlated with snail distribution data. Kernel density estimation, kriging and maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling were used for spatial data analysis, by means of the spatial analysis software packages. RESULTS: : Out of the 130 demarcated collection points, 64 were classified as breeding sites for B. straminea. A total of 5,250 snails were collected from these sites. Among these 64 sites, four were considered as foci of schistosomiasis transmission and 54 as potential transmission foci. An inverse relationship between rainfall and snail density was observed. Kernel spatial analysis identified three areas at higher risk of snail occurrence, which were also the areas of highest faecal contamination and included two transmission foci. Kriging and MaxEnt modeling simulated the scenarios obtained through the kernel analyses. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: : Use of geostatistical tools (Kriging and MaxEnt) is efficient for identifying areas at risk and for estimating the dispersal of Biomphalaria species across the study area. Occurrence of B. straminea in the study area is influenced by the rainy season, as it becomes more abundant during the period immediately after the rainy season, increasing the risk of dispersal and the appearance of new transmission foci.

Chagas disease ecoepidemiology and environmental changes in northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Triatoma sordida and Triatoma pseudomaculata are frequently captured triatomine species in the Brazilian savannah and caatinga biomes, respectively, and in Brazilian domiciles. OBJECTIVES: This study identified eco-epidemiological changes in Chagas disease in northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil, and considered the influence of environmental shifts and both natural and anthropogenic effects. METHODS: Domicile infestation and Trypanosoma cruzi infection rates were obtained from triatomines and sylvatic reservoirs during the following two time periods: the 1980s and 2007/2008. Entomological and climatic data with land cover classification derived from satellite imagery were integrated into a geographic information system (GIS), which was applied for atmospheric correction, segmentation, image classification, and mapping and to analyse data obtained in the field. Climatic data were analysed and compared to land cover classifications. RESULTS: A comparison of current data with data obtained in the 1980's showed that T. sordida colonised domiciliary areas in both periods, and that T. pseudomaculata did not colonise these areas. There was a tendency toward a reduction in T. cruzi infection rates in sylvatic reservoirs, and of triatomines captured in both households and in the sylvatic environment. T. sordida populations have reduced in the sylvatic environment, while T. pseudomaculata showed an expanding trend in the region compared to counts observed in the 1980's in the sylvatic environment. This may be related to high deforestation rates as well as gradual increases in land surface temperature (LST) and temperatures along the years. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a geographical expansion of species into new biomes as a result of anthropogenic and climatic changes that directly interfere with the reproductive and infection processes of vectors.

Epidemiological profile of human toxocariasis in patients examined at Evandro Chagas Institute (IEC/SVSA/MS) between 2014 and 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Toxocariasis is caused by nematodes of Toxocara genus, which infest dogs and cats, with humans serving as paratenic hosts. METHODS: The epidemiological profile of patients examined for toxocariasis between October 2014 and October 2019 at Evandro Chagas Institute (IEC) was outlined. The frequency of anti-T. canis IgG antibodies were evaluated using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS: From a total of 734 samples, 56% were from male (p < 0.05). Regarding age, the group with the most solicitations were from ≤11 years old individuals (p < 0.05). Pará state had the highest number of exams requested (92%), with the majority from residents of urban areas, accounting for 81.5% of samples (p < 0.05). The overall toxocariasis seroprevalence was 41.8%, the male sex being the most frequent with 60.9% (p < 0.05). The most affected age group was ≤11 years old, with a total of 67.8% of positive samples (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The high rates obtained emphasize the need for complementary studies on toxocariasis in Brazil, especially in Pará state, contributing to epidemiological surveillance actions in the control of this infection. Besides, health campaigns for domestic and stray animals, also can contribute to a more effective surveillance in controlling parasitic infections and encourages the One Health approach.

Prevalence and circulant genotypes of Chlamydia trachomatis in university women from cities in the Brazilian Amazon.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 80% of infected women infected by Chlamydia trachomatis are asymptomatic, although this infection can lead to serious complications in the female reproductive tract. Few data on Chlamydia infection and genotypes are available in Amazonian communities. OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of and associated factors and to identify the genotypes of sexual C. trachomatis infection in female university students in different urban centers (capital and interiors) in the Brazilian state of Pará, in the eastern Amazon region. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among young women attending public universities in four different urban centers in the eastern Amazon region. They were invited to participate in the studt and cervical secretions were collected for molecular diagnosis of C. trachomatis. We utilized amplification of the ompA gene by nested PCR. Positive samples were genotyped by nucleotide sequencing. Study participants completed a questionnaire on social, epidemiological, and reproductive health variables. A Qui-square and Binominal regression test were used to evaluate the degree of association of these variables with the infection. RESULTS: A total of 686 female students was included in the study. The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis was 11.2% (77/686). The prevalence of this infection was higher in interiors (15.2% vs 9.5%/ p: 0.0443). Female university students who do not have a sexual partner (11.8%/p <0.008), who do not use a condom in their sexual relations (17.8%/p <0.0001) and who reported having suffered a miscarriage (32%/p <0.0001) have high chances of acquiring this sexual infection. The ompA gene was sequenced in only 33 (42.8%) samples, revealing the genotype J was the most frequent (27.2% [9/33]), followed by genotypes D (24.2% [8/33]), and then genotypes F (18.2% [6/33]), E (15.1% [5/33]) K (6.1% [2/33]), Ia (6.1% [2/33]), and G (3.1% [1/33]). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of sexual infection by C. trachomatis in the female university students from the interior of the state of Pará, individuals with no fixed sexual partner, those that had had a miscarriage, the students that do not use condoms in their sexual relations. The genotype J of C. trachomatis genotypes was the most frequent. These data are important to help defining the epidemiological effects of chlamydial infections in Amazonian populations.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes among Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Patients with Cardiovascular Disease Who Were Hospitalized for COVID-19 in Brazil: Retrospective Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 in Brazil has already caused, and it still causes, several impacts on health, economy, and education. The risk factors for death involved those with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which were prioritized for the vaccination of COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients with cardiovascular diseases hospitalized for COVID-19 in Brazil in the year 2022. METHODS: A retrospective cohort was analyzed from the year 2022, with cases being hospitalized by COVID-19 being drawn from SIVEP-GRIPE surveillance. We compared clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes between CVD carriers and non-carriers, and we also compared vaccinated with two doses vs. those that are unvaccinated in CVD carriers. We performed chi-square, odds ratio, logistic regression, and survival analysis. RESULTS: We included, in the cohort, 112,459 hospital inpatients. An amount of 71,661 (63.72%) of the hospitalized patients had CVD. Regarding deaths, 37,888 (33.69%) died. Regarding vaccination against COVID-19, 20,855 (18.54%) people were not vaccinated with any dose among those with CVD. Death p- < 0.001 (OR 1.307-CI 1.235-1.383) and fever p- < 0.001 (OR 1.156-CI 1.098-1.218) were associated with the unvaccinated CVD carriers, and diarrhea p-0.015 (OR 1.116-CI 1.022-1.218), dyspnea p-0.022 (OR 1.074-CI 1.011-1.142), and respiratory distress p-0.021 (OR 1.070-CI 1.011-1.134) were also recorded. Those patients who possessed predictors of death, including invasive ventilation (p- < 0.001 (OR 8.816-CI 8.313-9.350)), were admitted to the ICU p- < 0.001 (OR 1.754-CI 1.684-1.827), and some had respiratory distress p- < 0.001 (OR 1.367-CI 1.312-1.423), dyspnea p < 0.001 (OR 1.341-CI 1.284-1.400), O2 saturation < 95% p- < 0. 001 (OR 1.307-CI 1.254-1.363), they were unvaccinated against COVID-19 p- < 0.001 (OR 1.258-CI 1.200-1.319), they were of male sex p- < 0.001 (OR 1.179-CI 1.138-1.221), they had diarrhea p-0.018 (OR 1.081-CI 1.013-1.154), and they may have been old p < 0.001 (OR 1.034-CI 1.033-1.035). Survival was shorter for the unvaccinated p-0.003, and p- <0.001. CONCLUSIONS: We highlight the predictors of death for those unvaccinated against COVID-19 in this research, and we evidenced the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine in reducing deaths in hospitalized CVD patients.

An Overview of 3D Anatomical Model Printing in Orthopedic Trauma Surgery.

Introduction: 3D object printing technology is a resource increasingly used in medicine in recent years, mainly incorporated in surgical areas like orthopedics. The models made by 3D printing technology provide surgeons with an accurate analysis of complex anatomical structures, allowing the planning, training, and surgery simulation. In orthopedic surgery, this technique is especially applied in oncological surgeries, bone, and joint reconstructions, and orthopedic trauma surgeries. In these cases, it is possible to prototype anatomical models for surgical planning, simulating, and training, besides printing of instruments and implants. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the acquisition and processing from computed tomography images for 3D printing, to describe modeling and the 3D printing process of the biomodels in real size. This paper highlights 3D printing with the applicability of the 3D biomodels in orthopedic surgeries and shows some examples of surgical planning in orthopedic trauma surgery. Patients and Methods: Four examples were selected to demonstrate the workflow and rationale throughout the process of planning and printing 3D models to be used in a variety of situations in orthopedic trauma surgeries. In all cases, the use of 3D modeling has impacted and improved the final treatment strategy. Conclusion: The use of the virtual anatomical model and the 3D printed anatomical model with the additive manufacturing technology proved to be effective and useful in planning and performing the surgical treatment of complex articular fractures, allowing surgical planning both virtual and with the 3D printed anatomical model, besides being useful during the surgical time as a navigation instrument.

Double screening for syphilis and HIV in pregnant women in a priority municipality for the elimination of vertical transmission in Brazil: incidence, risk factors and spatial analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) recommends double screening (DS) for syphilis and HIV during the first and third trimesters of antenatal care (ANC) to mitigate vertical transmission. We surveyed DS outcomes and their associated factors in a priority Brazilian municipality with >100 000 inhabitants who face challenges for both health problems. METHODS: A total of 399 women were followed up throughout pregnancy using medical records. Spatial and multinomial logistic analyses were performed. RESULTS: There was an incidence rate of 24.8%, 59.4% and 15.8% for 'full DS', 'partial DS' and 'without DS', respectively. Younger women and those with a history of both prematurity and multiparity were less likely to be in the 'full DS' category. There was an overlap of high-density clusters of 'full DS' and 'ANC in better quality basic health units', adherent to both the Family Health Strategy and the National Program for Access and Quality Improvement in Primary Care. CONCLUSIONS: The poor DS outcomes presented in 75% of the cases were mostly linked to delays in starting ANC appointments or their discontinuity. Thus, the MoH recommendations, accompanied by ongoing training, technical assistance and the periodic evaluation of their implementation, need to effectively reach providers and promote counseling and awareness about the importance of DS for pregnant women.

Social Experiences, Discrimination, and Violence among Men Who Have Sex with Men in a Northern Brazilian Capital.

Men who have sex with men who suffer stigmatization and discrimination become more fragile in facing life's problems, such as the search for treatment in health services. In the present study, the social aspects related to discrimination and violence among men who have sex with men in Belém, Pará, are evaluated. Data were obtained by applying the respondent-driven sampling method to recruit 349 participants aged 18 years or older and who reported having had at least one sexual relationship with a man in the last 12 months. Data were collected from June to December 2016 in a semi-structured interview. Five seeds were initially recruited who applied RDS. The vast majority were between 18 and 35 years old, had completed elementary school but not high school, and were of mixed race. Almost a third lived in peripheral neighborhoods and were employed/self-employed. Additionally, most participants reported having suffered aggression/discrimination, more often in religious contexts, with family or in health services. The findings reported here may contribute to the development of public policies aimed at this population and indicate the need for new strategies to combat sexually transmitted infections, stigma, and discrimination suffered by this population.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection in pregnant women and its correlation with socioeconomic determinants.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the spatial pattern of human immunodeficiency virus infection in pregnant women and its correlation with socioeconomic determinants. METHOD: Ecological study, carried out with cases of human immunodeficiency virus infection in pregnant women in the state of Pará, Brazil, from 2010 to 2017. Rate analysis was performed using the empirical Bayesian method and univariate local Moran. Bivariate analyses were used to examine the correlation between infection and socioeconomic determinants. RESULTS: High rates of infection were observed in municipalities in the mesoregions of Southeast of Pará and Metropolitan area of Belém. A significant spatial correlation was found between human immunodeficiency virus infection rates in pregnant women and human development index indicators (I = 0.2836; p < 0.05), average income (I = 0.6303; p < 0.05), and illiteracy rate (I = 0.4604; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The spatial pattern of human immunodeficiency virus infection in pregnant women correlated to socioeconomic determinants highlights the need to restructure public policies for the control and prevention of AIDS virus that take into account the socioeconomic factors of this specific population and locoregional disparities in Pará.

Novel Rodent Arterivirus Detected in the Brazilian Amazon.

As part of a continuous effort to investigate the viral communities associated with wild mammals at the human-animal interface in an Amazonian metropolitan region, this study describes the detection of a novel rodent-borne arterivirus. A sample containing pooled organs of Oecomys paricola was submitted to RNA sequencing, and four sequences taxonomically assigned as related to the Arteriviridae family were recovered, corresponding to an almost complete genome of nearly 13 kb summed. In the phylogenetic analysis with the standard domains used for taxa demarcation in the family, the tentatively named Oecomys arterivirus 1 (OAV-1) was placed within the clade of rodent- and porcine-associated viruses, corresponding to the Variarterivirinae subfamily. The divergence analysis, based on the same amino acid alignment, corroborated the hypothesis that the virus may represent a new genus within the subfamily. These findings contribute to the expansion of the current knowledge about the diversity, host and geographical range of the viral family. Arterivirids are non-human pathogens and are usually species-specific, but the susceptibility of cell lines derived from different organisms should be conducted to confirm these statements for this proposed new genus in an initial attempt to assess its spillover potential.

Zoonotic Parasites in Artiodactyls with Emphasis on the Feral Boar in the Atlantic Forest, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify the species of artiodactyl host related to the fecal matter collected in a forest area in Rio de Janeiro state and carry out a parasitological investigation. METHODS: Artiodactyl feces were collected between 2020 and 2021. The fecal samples were examined to identify the host through macroscopic and molecular analysis. The remaining samples were subjected to a fecal parasite analysis using microscopic techniques, and feces containing cysts of the phylum Ciliophora underwent a molecular analysis. RESULTS: Of the 101 samples collected, 71.3% were found in Pavão Valley, the most anthropized area of the park. In the molecular analysis, 79 samples were identified as belonging to Sus scrofa and 2 as Mazama gouazoubira. The most frequently detected forms were cysts of the phylum Ciliophora (39.6%), followed by eggs of Ascaris spp. (11.8%) and Metastrongylus spp. (5.9%). Nucleotide sequences of Balantioides coli were characterized in 26 samples, and in 13 samples variants of type B0 and in 11 type A0 were identified. CONCLUSIONS: It should be noted that this is the first study in the Americas that has identified B. coli in free-living S. scrofa feces, citing this bioinvader as one of the reservoirs of this parasite.