First genotyping of Giardia duodenalis and prevalence of enteroparasites in children from Tetouan (Morocco).

Intestinal parasites are common in the Moroccan population. Enteroparasites in children from four schools in urban and rural areas of Tetouan (Morocco) were studied to treat these children and to design prevention and control programs. A total of 673 children were examined. The prevalence of parasitized children was 51%. The average number of enteroparasites was half in urban areas than in rural areas. Multiple parasitism appeared in 30% of the samples presenting two, three, or four parasites. The most prevalent parasite was Blastocystis hominis (64%). Giardia duodenalis was the most frequent pathogen, with an overall prevalence of 20% (24% in rural areas and 16% in urban areas). Other pathogenic enteroparasites were Cyclospora cayetanensis (5% in rural and urban areas), Iodamoeba butschlii, Hymenolepis spp., Trichuris trichiura and Enterobius vermicularis, with prevalence lower than 2%. In this work, G. duodenalis genotypes were molecularly characterized by a study of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and 18S rRNA genes. This is the first study of molecular characterization of G. duodenalis in Moroccan children, and the sequence analysis revealed both Assemblage A (AII) and Assemblage B (BIII, BIV), with the predominance of Assemblage BIV (73%)

Estudio epidemiológico de los parásitos intestinales en Marruecos (Tetuan, Rabat, Marrakech)

Este trabajo se basa en el estudio de 1003 muestras coprológicas procedentes de tres provincias: Tetuan, Rabat y Marrakech. El índice de parasitación simple en las tres provincias fue 56 en Tetúan, 40 en Rabat y 47 en Marrakech , expresado en tanto por ciento. Se estudiaron las tasas de parasitación comparativas entre áreas rurales y urbanas , por edades, sexo, estación del año, etc. La parsitación intestinal globalmente resultó más elevada en zonas rurales que en las urbanas, las personas de edad comprendida entre 6 y 15 años son las más parasitadas. La parasitación resultó más elevada en la población masculina y el verano fue la estación del año con más parasitismos. Tetuan fue la provinciación tasa de infección por helmintos más elevada, destacando un 21% de Trichuris que normalmente aparecio asociado a Ascaris. Es importante resaltar también el de que Ancylostoma duodenale este en franca regresión en estas provincias. Todo esto indica la importancia de la coprología parasitaria para conocer la situación epidemiologica de las regionesUniversidad de Granada, Departamento de Parasitología. Leída 14- 06-0

First genotyping of Giardia duodenalis and prevalence of enteroparasites in children from Tetouan (Morocco)

Intestinal parasites are common in the Moroccan population. Enteroparasites in children from four schools in urban and rural areas of Tetouan (Morocco) were studied to treat these children and to design prevention and control programs. A total of 673 children were examined. The prevalence of parasitized children was 51%. The average number of enteroparasites was half in urban areas than in rural areas. Multiple parasitism appeared in 30% of the samples presenting two, three, or four parasites. The most prevalent parasite was Blastocystis hominis (64%). Giardia duodenalis was the most frequent pathogen, with an overall prevalence of 20% (24% in rural areas and 16% in urban areas). Other pathogenic enteroparasites were Cyclospora cayetanensis (5% in rural and urban areas), Iodamoeba butschlii, Hymenolepis spp., Trichuris trichiura and Enterobius vermicularis, with prevalence lower than 2%. In this work, G. duodenalis genotypes were molecularly characterized by a study of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and 18S rRNA genes. This is the first study of molecular characterization of G. duodenalis in Moroccan children, and the sequence analysis revealed both Assemblage A (AII) and Assemblage B (BIII, BIV), with the predominance of Assemblage BIV (73%)