Abstract

"During january 1997, forty families (171 inhabitants) lived at Chauquear locality, Puluqui Island, X Region of Chile were studied for enteroparasitic infections. By using formaline-ethyl acetate technique 171 stool samples were procesed. Prevalence rates for protozoa and helminths infections were as follow: Blastocystis hominis, 38.6%; Giardia intestinalis, 12.3%; Entamoeba histolytica, 9.9%; Entamoeba coli, 19.9%; Endolimax nana, 18.1%; Ascaris lumbricoides, 15.8% and Trichuris trichiura, 9.4%.Thirty five of the 40 families had B. hominis infected individuals. In nine families, three or more members of the group were infected by B. hominis. Poor sanitary conditions associated with favorable climatic factors contributed to maintain the high prevalence rates of intestinal parasitic infections in dwellers of this rural locality"