ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between seropositivity for IgG and IgM anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and socio-economic and environmental variables in pregnant women of Londrina, state of Paraná, Brazil. We interviewed 492 pregnant women, each of whom answered an epidemiological questionnaire, and collected blood samples for measurement of IgG and IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies by chemiluminescence. A confirmatory diagnosis of acute infection was made by an IgG avidity test. Titres of specific IgG anti-T. gondii were obtained by IFAT. Seropositivity for IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies was observed in 242 women (49.2%) and, of these, six pregnant women (1.2%) showed seropositivity for IgM. Age group, level of education, per capita income, presence of a cat in the house and a habit of eating green vegetables were all factors associated with a greater chance of infection with T. gondii. This study showed that 250 (50.8%) pregnant women were susceptible to T. gondii and considered to be at high risk for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Based on the results obtained, is critical to establish a program of health surveillance for toxoplasmosis, in order to contribute to diagnosis and early treatment during the prenatal period. It is also necessary to introduce measures to prevent the Toxoplasma infection in seronegative pregnant women.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Protozoan/blood , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/epidemiology , Toxoplasmosis/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Animals , Brazil/epidemiology , Cats , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/diagnosis , Pregnancy Trimester, First , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Socioeconomic Factors , Toxoplasmosis/diagnosis , Young AdultABSTRACT
A freqüência de parasitos em hortaliças é de grande importância para a saúde pública, pois fornece dados para a Vigilância Sanitária sobre a real situação higiênico-sanitária desses produtos. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a ocorrência de ovos de enteroparasitos em amostras de alface (Lactuca sativa) comercializadas no município de Porto Murtinho, MS, e relacioná-los à origem dos estabelecimentos comerciais. Amostras de alface foram coletadas aleatoriamente em diferentes locais de comércio, sendo eles: hipermercados, frutarias, vendedores ambulantes, mercados, hortas e feiras livres. O material foi processado segundo técnica descrita por Oliveira e Germano (1992). Das 59 amostras de alfaces analisadas, 54 (91,52) foram positivas, sendo 18 (30,5) amostras positivas para Ascaris sp., 13 (22,03) para Trichuris sp, 12 (20,34) para Ancilostomatidae, oito (13,56) para Strongyloides sp. e três (5,09) para Toxocara sp. Com relação à origem dos estabelecimentos que comercializavam alface, 18 amostras foram obtidas diretamente de hortas (dezoito positivas); 12 amostras foram coletadas em frutarias (dez positivas); dez amostras coletadas nos hipermercados (oito positivas); nove amostras de vendedores ambulantes (nove positivas); seis amostras de feiras livres (seis positivas) e quatro amostras coletadas em mercados (três positivas). Estes resultados sugerem que as alfaces comercializadas em Porto Murtinho, Mato Grosso do Sul, apresentam condições higiênicas precárias, evidenciada pela alta freqüência de formas parasitárias encontradas.
Occurrence of parasites in vegetables is very important to the public health, because it supplies information to the Health Surveillance on the real hygienical-sanitary situation of these products and the risks in their production. The aim of this work was to evaluate the occurrence of enteroparasites lettuce samples (Lactuca sativa) commercialized in the town of Porto Murtinho, MS, and to relate it to the origin of the commercial establishments. Samples of lettuce were colleted randomly from different types of commerce: supermarkets, fruits venders, ambulant venders, markets, vegetables gardens and free fairs. The material was processed according to technique describe by Oliveira and Germano (1992). A number of 59 samples of lettuce was analyzed 54 (91.52) positive ones, 18 (30.5) positive samples for Ascaris sp., 13 (22.03) for Trichuris sp., 12 (20.34) for Ancilostomatidae, eight (13.56) for Strongyloides sp. and three (5.09) for Toxocara sp. In reference to the establishments that commercialized lettuce had been collected 18 samples in vegetables gardens and all were positive for some parasite; were collected 12 samples in the fruits venders and ten were positive; in the supermarkets with ten collected samples and eight positive; in ambulant with nine and fairs free with six samples and all positive they; and markets, with four collected samples and three positive. These results suggest that the lettuces marketed in Porto Murtinho, Mato Grosso do Sul, present precarious hygienic conditions, evidenced by the high frequency in found parasitic ways.
La presencia de parásitos en las verduras es de gran importancia al conocimiento de la salud pública, pues proporciona a la Vigilancia de Salud la información de la situación higiénico-sanitaria verdadera de estos productos y los riesgos en su producción. La investigación tuvo como objetivo evaluar la ocurrencia de los huevos de los enteroparásitos en las muestras de lechuga (Lactuca sativa) consumidas en la ciudad de Porto Murtinho, MS, y relacionarla con el origen de los establecimientos comerciales. Las muestras de lechuga fueron recogidas aleatoriamente en diferentes locales del comercio: supermercados, fruterías, vendedores ambulantes, mercados, huertos y ferias libres. El material se procesó según la técnica descripta por Oliveira y Germano (1992). Las 59 muestras de lechugas analisadas 54 (91.52) eran positivas. Tras el análisis se verificó que 54 (91,52) muestras fueron positivas, siendo 18 (30.5) muestras positivas para el Ascaris sp., 13 (22.03) para el Trichuris sp., 12 (20.34) para Ancilostomatidae, 8 (13.56) para el Strongyloides sp. y 3 (5.09) para el Toxocara sp. Con relación al origen de los establecimientos que comercializaban lechuga, 18 muestras fueron obtenidas directamente de huertos (dieciocho positivas); 12 muestras fueron recogidas en fruterías (diez positivas); 10 muestras recogidas en los supermercados (ocho positivas); 09 muestras de vendedores ambulantes (nueve positivas) ; 06 muestras de ferias libres (seis positivas) y 04 muestras recogidas en mercados (tres positivas). Estos resultados sugieren que las lechugas comercializadas en Porto Murtinho, Mato Grosso do Sul, presentan las condiciones higiénicas inciertas, evidenciadas por la alta frecuencia de parásitos encontrados.
