Infecção por Giardia duodenalis e outros enteroparasitos em crianças com câncer e crianças de creche em Salvador, Bahia Giardia duodenalis and other intestinal parasites in children with cancer and day care children from Salvador, Bahia

Introduction: Children are one of the main groups at risk of infections with Giardia duodenalis and other intestinal parasites. The infection is usually asymptomatic or may progress to acute diarrhea or become chronic, resulting in weight loss and growth retardation. In children with malignant tumors, the parasitic infection may develop into a severe disease, or even result in death. Aim: to establish the frequency of G. duodenalis and other intestinal parasites in stools of children with cancer and children attending day care centers. Methodology: Fecal samples were collected from 70 pediatric patients with cancer and 493 day care children and subjected to the following diagnostic techniques: Baermann-Moraes and fecal culture on agar plate, zinc sulfate flotation, sedimentation by centrifugation, and modified ZiehlNeelsen. Results: The frequency of intestinal parasite infection in children with cancer and in day care children was 47.1% and 35.5%, respectively. The most prevalent pathogenic parasites in children with cancer were Blastocystis hominis (11.4%), followed by Giardia duodenalis (8.6%). Giardia duodenalis was significantly (p < 0.05) the most frequent pathogenic parasite (27.2 %) in children from childcare centers. Conclusion: The high ocurrence of intestinal parasites found in this study highlights the need to perform regular stool examinations in children. In pediatric cancer patients, the leukopenia caused by chemotherapy, associated with parasitic infections can lead to more serious intestinal disease or even dissemination of parasite, being very important the early diagnosis and prompt medical intervention.