[Occurrence of intestinal parasites among first grade students in Poland in years 2002/2003]

Abstract

In the school year 2002/2003 there were examined in Poland some of the population of 7-year-old children for the presence of intestinal parasites, continuing countrywide operation launched in 1988.

Methods: The studies were based on the examination of a single faecal specimen and a cellophane swab using the following methods: wet mount preparations in 0.9% NaCl and diluted Lugol's ioine, zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation and decantation.

Results and conclusions: The studies included 31 504 children from 15 provinces of Poland. The parasites most frequently encountered in the examinations included: Enterobius vermicularis (in 3 827 of the examined, i. e. 12, 15%), Ascaris lumbricoides (in 263; 0.83%), Giardia intestinalis (in 217: 0.69%), Entamoeba coli (n 189; 0.60%) and Trichuris trichiura (in 39; 0.12%) The overall percentage of the infected children was 15.4%. The highest number of infected children was found in the province warmińsko-mazurskie (29.6%0), the smallest in slaskie (8.8%). The number of infected among children inhabiting country (19%) was significantly higher than among those from the towns (10.4%). The obtained results confirmed hitherto existing views that in Poland the epidemiological situation of infections with intestinal parasites is steadily improving.