Prevalence of intestinal protozoa in children under 5 years of age in the highland region of the Piura Department.

• Autor: Aranda Alvarado, Jonathan Gerardo
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2026
• Institución: Universidad Nacional de Jaén
• Repositorio: Pakamuros
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:unj:article/928
• Enlace del recurso: https://revistas.unj.edu.pe/index.php/pakamuros/article/view/928
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: intestinal parasitosis, children, GEMA Clinical Analysis Center; parasitosis intestinal, niños, Centro-Análisis-Clínicos-GEMA; parasitosis intestinal; niños; Centro-Análisis-Clínicos-GEMA

Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal protozoa in children under 5 years of age in the Piura highlands. Methods and materials: A cross-sectional study (August-October 2025) was conducted with a sample of 50 children from Malacasi. Direct stool examination was used to determine the presence of protozoa. Surveys were used to examine environmental and sociodemographic variables. Results: 48% of the overall population had parasitic infections. The predominant pathogen was Giardia lamblia (22%). Commensal organisms indicative of fecal contamination were detected: Iodamoeba bütschlii (6%) and Entamoeba coli (16%). A higher prevalence was significantly associated with both the consumption of untreated water (aPR=1.78) and rural residence (aPR=1.75). Conclusions: Protozoal infections, particularly giardiasis, are a public health problem in the children studied, largely determined by modifiable environmental factors. Joint actions are needed, including basic sanitation and access to safe drinking water.