Recorded presentation

Brettania L. Walker, MPH, World Wildlife Fund International Arctic Programme, Kristian Augusts gate 7A, Postboks 6784 St Olavs plass, Oslo, 0130, Norway, 47 93 41 16 63, bwalker@wwf.no, Rebecca T. Parkin, PhD, MPH, Environmental and Occupational Health, The George Washington University Medical Center, 2100 M Street, NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20052, and Carolina Ferrao Huibers Vitor, Servico Municipal de Vigilancia Epidemiologica, Secretaria Municipal de Saude, Rua Gomes Barbosa, 53, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the occurrence and risk factors associated with intestinal parasitic infection in pregnant women in a municipality of Minas Gerais, Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Parasitic exam records of 701 women were retrospectively reviewed for the years 1998-2003, and were linked to a birth outcome dataset for 529 women. Pregnant women submitted one stool sample for testing by the spontaneous sedimentation method of Lutz/HPJ. Risk factors for parasitic infection were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. Record review and data analysis took place during the years 2003-2004. RESULTS: Average maternal age was 24.7 years (range 14-41). 38.9% of the women were infected with at least one parasite. The number of species per woman ranged from 0 to 4. 18.9% were infected with helminths and 25% with protozoa. Helminths included Ascaris lumbricoides (10.2%), Ancylostoma spp.(5.5%), Strongyloides stercoralis (2.1%), Trichuris trichiura (2.1%), Enterobius vermicularis (1.9%), Schistosoma mansoni (1.7%), and Taenia spp. (0.6%). Protozoa included Entamoeba coli (22.7%), Entamoeba histolytica (2.8%), Giardia lamblia (1.7%) and Endolimax nana (0.6%). Parasitism was significantly associated with type of delivery and maternal occupation. Ascaris infection was significantly associated with maternal education, number of prenatal consultations, maternal age, and concurrent infection with protozoa, Ancylostoma, T.trichiura , or at least 2 parasite species. Additional results will be presented. CONCLUSIONS: Women of reproductive age should be offered parasitic testing. Anti-parasitic drug treatment should be considered before pregnancy and outside the first trimester. Further studies of intestinal parasitism during pregnancy are recommended.

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