Balantidium coli na área rural de um município do pontal do triângulo mineiro

Abstract

Balantidium coli is the largest protozoan and the only ciliate able to infect the human specie. Swines are its principal reservoir, but, occasionally, it can infect humans causing an asymptomatic infection, severe dysentery or immunocompromise that leads the patient to death. Transmission occurs by contaminated water or food with cysts of protozoa. The study aimed to analyze the occurrence of protozoa Balantidium coli in feces of swine and pig farmers residing in rural areas of Ituiutaba-MG. Identification occurred through parasitological diagnostic techniques of spontaneous sedimentation (HPJ) and concentration by centrifugation (Ritchie). 57 (fifty-seven) samples were analyzed, collected during the months of february/2022 and march/2022, of which 35% (20/57) belonged to pig farmers and 65% (37/57) to swine. Among 20 (twenty) study participants, 50% (10/10) were parasitized by protozoa or intestinal helminths. 90% (18/20) declared that they already heard about intestinal parasites. Access to information, basic sanitation and piped and treated water directly influence the prevalence of intestinal infections. 45% (9/20) of individuals reported that they do not have piped water. Although the presence of evolutive forms of Balantidium coli was observed in 49% (18/37) of swine feces samples, it was not possible to observe evolutive forms of Balantidium coli species in human feces samples. Given the non-observance of the protozoan in human fecal samples, we can infer that infection by B. coli may be rare in man.