Strongyloides stercoralis e outros enteroparasitos em indivíduos da área rural no município de Uberlândia, estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil

The aim of this study was to verify the occurrence of Strongyloides stercoralis and other enteroparasites in the rural area of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, between September 1996 and May 1997, using the Baermann - Moraes and Lutz methods. Out of 180 individuals studied, 92 (51.1%) were infected. Twelve people (6.7%) were infected by S. stercoralis, being five in children with ages between zero and 12 years old and 7 cases older than 12 years old. Other enteroparasites diagnosed were Entamoeba coli (27.2%), Giardia lamblia (10.6%), Hookworm (7.2%), Endolimax nana (3.9%), Ascaris lumbricoides (3.3%), Entamoeba hartmanni (3.3%), Enterobius vermicularis (2.2%), Hymenolepis nana (1.1%), Iodamoeba butschlii (1.1%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (0.6%), and Schistosoma mansoni (0.6%). Of the 92 positive cases there were 71% with mono-parasitism, 25% with bi-parasitism, and 4% with poly-parasitism. It was concluded that strongyloidiasis is hyperendemic in the rural area of Uberlândia. We highlighted the importance of the multiple parasitological methods performed in three different occasions with fecal samples of each individual, which enhanced the possibilities for detection of an elevated enteroparasite rate (51.1%). We also point out to a serious public health problem in this rural area.