Intestinal parasitism in the Xavánte Indians, Central Brazil

Authors

  • Ricardo V. Santos Museu Nacional; Departamento de Antropologia
  • Carlos E.A. Coimbra Jr. Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública
  • Nancy M. Flowers Hunter College; Department of Anthropology
  • Joaquim P. Silva Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública

Keywords:

Helminths, Intestinal parasites, Amerindians, Brazil

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a survey for intestinal parasites among the Xavánte Indians from Central Brazil. A. lumbricoides (25.0%) and hookworms (33.6%) were the two most common helminths; E. histolytica complex (7.8%) and G. lamblia (8.6%) the most common protozoans. The majority (58.5%) of positive individuals hosted only one species of helminth. Egg counts for helminths, and for A. lumbricoides in particular, were found to be not dispersed at random, with a few individuals, all of whom young children, showing very high counts. The prevalence rates of intestinal parasites for the Xavánte are below those reported for other Amerindian populations from Brazil.

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Published

1995-04-01

Issue

Vol. 37 No. 2 (1995)

Section

Epidemiology

How to Cite

Santos, R. V., Coimbra Jr., C. E., Flowers, N. M., & Silva, J. P. (1995). Intestinal parasitism in the Xavánte Indians, Central Brazil . Revista Do Instituto De Medicina Tropical De São Paulo, 37(2), 145-148. https://revistas.usp.br/rimtsp/article/view/29250