Parasitic infections in children of Paraguay: A systematic review from 2014 to 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53732/rccsalud/2025.e7801Keywords:
parasitic diseases, parasites, children, ParaguayAbstract
Parasitoses affect millions of people worldwide, mostly in developing countries. Children are the most vulnerable group due to their developing immune system, poor hygiene habits and increased exposure to the environment. This systematic review identified parasitosis in children in Paraguay between 2014 and 2024. A documentary methodology and retrospective study were used, following PRISMA-SR and JBI guidelines. Experimental and observational studies were included, excluding narrative reviews. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus and gray literature databases were used. Two reviewers selected and extracted data using Rayyan QCRI and Excel, the quality of the process was assessed with the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool. A total of 537 articles were identified, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria. These studies reported the most frequent parasitic infections caused by Giardia lamblia, Blastocystis hominis and Ascaris lumbricoides (76%). 95% of the samples were diagnosed by the coproparasitological method. Most of the samples came from Concepción, Central and Alto Paraná. The main risk factors were age, overcrowding, poor access to drinking water and poor sanitation. Parasitosis was more prevalent in indigenous children and in dwellings with dirt floors. A high prevalence of intestinal parasites was found in vulnerable communities. Hemoparasites were poorly recorded, suggesting underreporting of these parasitoses. It is essential to improve diagnosis by molecular and immunological techniques and to promote prevention strategies to reduce the burden of parasitosis in Paraguay.
References
Cummings R, Turco S. Parasitic Infections. In: Varki A, Cummings RD, Esko JD, Freeze HH, Stanley P, Bertozzi CR, Hart GW, Etzler ME, editors. Essentials of Glycobiology. 2nd ed. Cold Spring Harbor (NY): Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20301235/
Ahmed M. Intestinal Parasitic Infections in 2023. Gastroenterology Res. 2023;16(3):127–40. https://doi.org/10.14740/gr1622
Ferguson MAj. The surface glycoconjugates of trypanosomatid parasites. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1997;352(1359):1295–302. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1997.0113
Barrow P, Dujardin JC, Fasel N, Greenwood AD, Osterrieder K, Lomonossoff G, et al. Viruses of protozoan parasites and viral therapy: Is the time now right? Virol J. 2020;17(1):142. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01410-1
Hakizimana E, Kim JY, Oh S, Yoon M, Yong TS. Intestinal parasitic infections among children aged 12–59 months in Nyamasheke District, Rwanda. Parasites, Hosts Dis. 2023;61(3):304–9. https://doi.org/10.3347/PHD.23045
Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021;372. https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n71
Galeano S, Solís H, Cáceres M, Mendoza H. Parasitosis intestinal en niños y adultos “Maka” del asentamiento “Corumba Cué” de la Ciudad Mariano Roque Alonso, Paraguay, 2018. Rev. Investig. cient. tecnol. 2018;2(2):67–73. https://doi.org/10.36003/Rev.investig.cient.tecnol.V2N1(2018)7
Huerta Chaparro JA, Carissimo Velázquez AA, Benítez Rojas MF, Martí L, Sánchez R, Canese Krivosheim AP. Prevalencia de parásitos intestinales y factores asociados en escolares de la localidad de arroyito, concepción 2019. Medicinae Signum. 2022;1(1):44–9. https://revistas.unc.edu.py/index.php/fmunc/article/view/72
González Centurión M, Paiva C, González Vázquez G. Prevalencia y factores asociados a la parasitosis intestinal de niños escolares de las comunidades indígenas Che Iro Ara Poty y Nueva Esperanza del Distrito Dr. Juan Eulogio Estigarribia. 2017. https://www.cienciasdelasalud.unca.edu.py/prevalencia-y-factores-asociados-a-la-parasitosis-intestinal/
Brizuela Carrera PJ. Caracterización de parasitosis intestinal en escolares que acuden al Hospital Regional de Coronel Oviedo, 2022 [Tesis de grado]. Universidad Nacional de Caaguazú; 2022. https://repositorio.fcmunca.edu.py/xmlui/handle/123456789/333?show=full
Montiel-Alfonso MA, Benítez-Alfonso AL, Aguilera González MP, Del Valle-Ochelli AM. Prevalencia de parasitosis intestinal en niños que acuden a una escuela pública de un barrio periférico de la ciudad de Asunción, Paraguay. Universidad Médica Pinareña. 2022;18(3). https://biblat.unam.mx/es/revista/universidad-medica-pinarena/articulo/prevalencia-de-parasitosis-intestinal-en-ninos-que-acuden-a-una-escuela-publica-de-un-barrio-periferico-de-la-ciudad-de-asuncion-paraguay
Cuellar Ortíz JD, Barboza Espínola B, Brítez Sandoval I, Sánchez ME, Saucedo Ovelar A. Enteroparasitosis y desnutrición en escolares del distrito de Concepción de la unidad de salud familiar, Paraguay. Ciencia Latina. 2022;6(1):3063–70. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v6i1.1704
Díaz Echeverría E, Silva Valdez CS, Sánchez Jara NR, Wolschan Mareco M, Ramos Molinas T, Peña Cristaldo ZA, et al. Prevalencia de parasitosis intestinal y factores asociados en Niños de 4 a 8 años de la ciudad de Concepción. Año 2019. Medicinae Signum. 2022;1(1):23–31. https://revistas.unc.edu.py/index.php/fmunc/article/view/69
Jara Castillo SM, Riquelme Chávez FA, González Aponte NO, Jara Castillo EM. Prevalencia de parasitosis intestinal, en niños de 6 a 12 años que acuden a las escuelas del proyecto Barrios Sostenibles de Calaverita y San José Olero de la Ciudad de Concepción. RCUPAP. 2023;3(1). https://doi.org/10.54360/rcupap.v3i1.119
Yoneda Romaneli K, Amaral-Chaves R, Lamounier TK, Romaneli PR, Colmán-Giménez D. Parasitosis en niños de 5 a 15 años de una escuela pública de la ciudad de Pedro Juan Caballero. Rev UN Med. 2020;9(1):42–51. https://investigacion.uninorte.edu.py/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MED-0901-04.pdf
Blanco Moreira Norberg PR, Meister Villalba ML, Duarte Ortellado L, Coronel M, Ribeiro PC, Amaro da Silva M, et al. Intestinal parasitism among Toba Qom ethnic children of the San Francisco de Asis village, city of Benjamin Aceval, Paraguay. WJAHR. 2019;3(2):28–35. https://wjahr.com/admin/assets/article_issue/12022019/1551268304.pdf
De Almeida A, Tan Chow C, Ribeiro T, Pereira AA, Zorrilla JJ. Caracterización sociodemográfica de niños con enteroparasitosis atendidos en el Hospital Distrital de Presidente Franco, 2019. Rev. cient. estud. investig. 2021;10(1):164–71. https://doi.org/10.26885/rcei.10.1.164
Díaz V, Funes P, Echagüe G, Sosa L, Ruiz I, Zenteno J, et al. Estado nutricional-hematológico y parasitosis intestinal de niños escolares de 5 a 12 años de cuatro localidades rurales de Paraguay. Mem. Inst. Investig. Cienc. Salud. 2018;16(1):26–32. https://doi.org/10.18004/mem.iics/1812-9528/2018.016(01)26-032
Hellman V, Arbo A. Prevalence of intestinal parasites in children one Ache Community of Alto Parana. Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. 2016;11(1):3–9. https://doi.org/10.18004/imt/20161113-9
Cardozo Ocampos GE, Samudio M. Predisposing factors and consequences of intestinal parasitosis in Paraguayan school-aged children. Pediatr. (Asunción). 2017;44(2):117–25. https://doi.org/10.18004/ped.2017.agosto.117-125
Cardozo Ocampos GE, Cañete Duarte Z, Lenartovicz V. Frecuencia de enteroparásitos en niños y niñas del primer ciclo de la educación escolar básica de Escuelas Públicas de Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. Mem. Inst. Investig. Cienc. Salud. 2015;13(1):24–30. https://doi.org/10.18004/Mem.iics/1812-9528/2015.013(01)24-030
Boy L, Alcaraz R, Benítez J, Guerrero D, Galeano E, González Britez N. Parasitosis intestinales en niños de edad escolar de una institución educativa de Fernando de la Mora, Paraguay. Rev. cient. cienc. salud. 2020;2(1):54–62. https://doi.org/10.53732/rccsalud/02.01.2020.54-62
Díaz Insfrán P, Ferreira Ramírez PL, Coronel González AD, González Romero AA. Parasitosis intestinal en niños de 1 a 12 años que acuden al puesto de Unidad de Salud Familiar Niño Salvador del Mundo de la Ciudad de Concepción en el año 2021. Medicinae Signum. 2022;1(1):19–22. https://revistas.unc.edu.py/index.php/fmunc/article/view/68
Jara Calcena D. Parasitosis intestinal en niños del primer ciclo de la Enseñanza Escolar Básica (EEB) en la Escuela Nro. 2345 Santo Domingo Sabio del Distrito de Edelira en el mes de Junio del 2015. [Ñemby]: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, San Patricio de Irlanda del Norte; 2015. https://docs.bvsalud.org/biblioref/2018/10/948189/daniel-jara-mg-adm-hosp-2015.pdf
Vázquez FA, Ramírez DR, Echague G, Sosa L, Cabello Sarubbi MÁ, Samudio M, et al. Prevalence and intensity of geohelminths infection characterizing the socio-cultural and environmental factors that affect the infection of school children, paraguay, 2015. Rev chilena infectol. 2018;35(5):501–8. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0716-10182018000500501
Russomando G, Cousiño B, Sanchez Z, Franco LX, Nara EM, Chena L, et al. Chagas disease: national survey of seroprevalence in children under five years of age conducted in 2008. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz. 2017;112(5):348–53. https://doi.org/10.1590/0074-02760160407
Echagüe G, Sosa L, Díaz V, Ruiz I, Rivas L, Granado D, et al. Enteroparasitosis en niños bajo 5 años de edad, indígenas y no indígenas, de comunidades rurales del Paraguay. Rev chil. infectol. 2015;32(6):649–57. http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-10182015000700006&lang=pt
LaBeaud AD, Nayakwadi Singer M, McKibben M, Mungai P, Muchiri EM, McKibben E, et al. Parasitism in Children Aged Three Years and Under: Relationship between Infection and Growth in Rural Coastal Kenya. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(5):e0003721. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003721
Arbo A. Parasitic diseases in Paraguayan Indigenous Population: called to reflection and action. Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. 2016;11(1):1–2. https://www.mspbs.gov.py/dependencias/imt/adjunto/c8be31-ParasitosisenPoblacion.pdf
Donohue RE, Cross ZK, Michael E. The extent, nature, and pathogenic consequences of helminth polyparasitism in humans: A meta-analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019;13(6):e0007455. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007455
Soares R, Tasca T. Giardiasis: an update review on sensitivity and specificity of methods for laboratorial diagnosis. J Microbiol Methods. 2016;129:98–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mimet.2016.08.017
Fauziah N, Ar-Rizqi MA, Hana S, Patahuddin NM, Diptyanusa A. Stunting as a Risk Factor of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis in Children: A Literature Review. Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis. 2022;2022:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8929025
Asfaram S, Daryani A, Sarvi S, Pagheh AS, Hosseini SA, Saberi R, et al. Geospatial analysis and epidemiological aspects of human infections with Blastocystis hominis in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. Epidemiol Health. 2019 https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2019009
El-Zawawy HT, Farag HF, Tolba MM, Abdalsamea HA. Improving Hashimoto’s thyroiditis by eradicating Blastocystis hominis: Relation to IL-17. Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2025;11:2042018820907013. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042018820907013
Knopp S, Salim N, Schindler T, Karagiannis Voules DA, Rothen J, Lweno O, et al. Diagnostic Accuracy of Kato–Katz, FLOTAC, Baermann, and PCR Methods for the Detection of Light-Intensity Hookworm and Strongyloides stercoralis Infections in Tanzania. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2014;90(3):535–45. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.13-0268
Canese A, Barrios E, Castro L, Canese J. Prevalencia de parásitos intestinales encontrados en niños en Paraguay. Revista Paraguaya de Microbiología. 1999;18(1).
Dado D, Izquierdo F, Vera O, Montoya A, Mateo M, Fenoy S, et al. Detection of Zoonotic Intestinal Parasites in Public Parks of Spain. Potential Epidemiological Role of Microsporidia. Zoonoses Public Health. el 2012;59(1):23–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1863-2378.2011.01411.x
Ojeda Ojeda ML, Rios B, Baez M, Almada A, Cantero N, Aquino D, et al. Parásitos en arenas de parques públicos de Ciudad del Este – Alto Paraná, Paraguay, 2019-2020. Rev. cient. estud. investig. 2020;9(1):104–16. https://doi.org/10.26885/rcei.9.1.104
Cabral M, James MA, Samudio M, Rojas de Arias A, Martinez J, Montenegro-James S. Cytokine responses in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected children in Paraguay. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1998;58(1):119–21. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1998.58.119
MSPyBS. Paraguay inicia vigilancia de parásitos intestinales en escolares - Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social (MSPyBS). 2022. https://www.mspbs.gov.py/portal/25624/paraguay-inicia-vigilancia-de-parasitos-intestinales-en-escolares.html
OPS. OPS y el Ministerio de Salud implementan vigilancia de parásitos intestinales en escolares - OPS/OMS | Organización Panamericana de la Salud. 2022. https://www.paho.org/es/noticias/8-7-2022-ops-ministerio-salud-implementan-vigilancia-parasitos-intestinales-escolares
Batista Rojas O. Results of an Intervention Model in Intestinal Parasitosis in Parents Havana 2019-2020. International Journal of Tropical Diseases. 2020;3(1). https://doi.org/10.23937/2643-461X/1710028
Zuta Arriola N, Rojas Salazar AO, Mori Paredes MA, Cajas Bravo V. Impacto de la educación sanitaria escolar, hacinamiento y parasitosis intestinal en niños preescolares. Comuni@cción. 2019;10(1):47–56. http://www.scielo.org.pe/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2219-71682019000100004
Khan W, Rahman H, Rafiq N, Kabir M, Ahmed MS, Escalante PDLR. Risk factors associated with intestinal pathogenic parasites in schoolchildren. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2022;29(4):2782–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.12.055
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Revista científica ciencias de la salud
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
.png)
All the contents of this journal are licensed under a 