Evaluation of the importance of basic sanitation in the prevention of parasitosis in public schools: A brief bibliographic review

Abstract

Basic sanitation corresponds to the control of physical agents in which they can exert harmful effects on human health. Intestinal parasitism is one of the most relevant public health problems in the country, affecting mainly school-age children, due to the precariousness of compliance with basic sanitation and water quality laws. The objective of this study was to evaluate the importance of basic sanitation in the prevention of parasitic diseases, as well as to investigate the presence of parasitic diseases in public school students. The methodology adopted was a descriptive qualitative literature review, using the descriptors Basic Sanitation, Health Promotion, Children, Parasitosis in Children and Right to Health. The following electronic databases were used: Google Scholar, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Legislation Portal, Instituto Trata Brasil Portal and the Human Parasitology Book available in the virtual library of the São Francisco de Barreiras University Center UNIFASB/UNINASSAU. As an inclusion criterion, we used articles that addressed the incidence of parasitosis in relation to basic sanitation that were in Portuguese or English, published between 2009 and 2020. And as exclusion criteria, articles in languages other than English or Portuguese, articles that have been published prior to 2009, articles that were not in accordance with the proposed theme and are not available for free. Obtaining results in which it was found to be predominant in children aged 0 to 15 years, enrolled in schools and daycare centers. The most common protozoa Giardia, Entamoeba coli and Endolimax nana were found, while the most common helminths were Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Strongyloides stercoralis. Most parasitic infections are acquired by the fecal-oral route, through contamination of water and food, and children are vulnerable to contamination. This review pointed out that efforts to control child parasitism are still insufficient, requiring better actions and strategies to strengthen the inspection of health surveillance in homes.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.56238/interdiinovationscrese-014