Influence of Environmental Pollution and Living Conditions on Parasite Transmission among Indigenous Ecuadorians.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of environmental pollution and the living conditions of indigenous Ecuadorians on the transmission of enteroparasites in an Andean agricultural area located at high altitude. Environmental pollution was recorded after observation in each community. The parasites were identified by microscopic sediment analysis using physiological saline solution from macerated arthropods, washed vegetables, and human stools, utilizing four coproparasitological techniques (direct examination, Kato-Katz, ether concentration, and Ziehl-Neelsen). The results show that the inadequate disposal of human and animal excreta that contaminate soil and water, incorrect food hygiene, inadequate sanitary infrastructure in houses, a lack of animal veterinary care, and rodent proliferation are important reservoirs of zoonotic parasites. The use of excrement as fertilizer increases the number of flies, which act as mechanical vectors, and vegetables grown in areas with disperse infective parasitic forms act as vehicles that are marketed at the local, regional, and international levels. These analyses verify contamination levels of 52.7% in mechanical vectors, 70.6% in vegetables, and 98.2% in human stools. The agricultural communities analyzed maintained poor hygienic-sanitary and environmental conditions, which had a significant influence on the transmission of enteroparasites that affect human health.

Dispersión hídrica de enteroparásitos en una zona agropecuaria de gran altitud, en Los Andes Ecuatorianos / Water dispersion of enteroparasites in a high-altitude agricultural area, in The Ecuadorian Andes

La finalidad de esta investigación fue determinar las especies de enteroparásitos que son vehiculizadas por agua de regadío, entubada y estancada, como factor de riesgo asociado a la transmisión en una comunidad rural de la provincia de Chimborazo-Ecuador. Se realizó una investigación de campo, transversal, con muestreo no probabilístico intencional, en el que se incluyeron 214 muestras de agua: 37 de canales de riego, 147 que surten las viviendas y 30 estancadas. Las muestras se analizaron mediante Sedimentación espontánea, técnica de Bailenger (modificada) y coloración de Ziehl Neelsen (modificada). El agua de regadío y la estancada, obtuvieron el 100% de contaminación parasitaria y en menor grado la entubada, con 57,14%. La mayor proporción fue de protozoarios (70,56%), seguidos de chromistas (40,65%) y helmintos (13,08%). Entre los parásitos transmisibles, se destacan: Blastocystis spp. (40,65%), Amebas de vida libre (5,61%), Entamoeba spp. (8,41%), Giardia duodenalis (6,54%), Balantidium spp. (13,51%), Cryptosporidium spp. (17,76%), Cyclospora spp. (3,74%), Cystoisospora spp. (2,34%), Eimeria spp. (13,55%), Dibothriocephalus spp. (0,47%) y larvas de nemátodos (13,08%). Los resultados evidencian la presencia de parásitos de transmisión hídrica en los tres cuerpos de agua estudiados, lo que constituye un riesgo de infección humana, veterinaria y de contaminación para los productos agrícolas

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the species of enteroparasites that are carried by irrigated, piped and stagnant water, as a risk factor associated with transmission in a rural community in the province of Chimborazo-Ecuador. A cross-sectional field investigation was carried out, with an intentional non-probability sampling, in which 214 water samples were included: 37 from irrigation canals, 147 that supply the houses and 30 stagnant. The samples were analyzed by spontaneous sedimentation, Bailenger technique (modified) and Ziehl Neelsen staining (modified). Irrigation and stagnant water obtained 100% of parasitic contamination and to a lesser extent piped, with 57.14%. The highest proportion was of protozoa (70.56%), followed by chromists (40.65%) and helminths (13.08%). Among the transmissible parasites, the following stand out: Blastocystis spp. (40.65%), Free-living amoebas (5.61%), Entamoeba spp. (8.41%), Giardia duodenalis (6.54%), Balantidium spp. (13.51%), Cryptosporidium spp. (17.76%), Cyclospora spp. (3.74%), Cystoisospora spp. (2.34%), Eimeria spp. (13.55%), Dibothriocephalus spp. (0.47%) and nematode larvae (13.08%). The results show the presence of parasites of water transmission in the three bodies of water studied, which constitutes a risk of human, veterinary infection and contamination for agricultural products