Intestinal parasites and the environment: frequency of intestinal parasites in children of Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina

The frequency of intestinal parasites (IP) in 69 children between 2 and 14 years of age was studied within the city of Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina in relation to socioeconomic, cultural and environmental conditions. Soil type was determined and contamination with IP was investigated in 75 soil samples. Frequency of IP in children was 50.7%. Blastocystis hominis was the most frequent species (24.6%). Simultaneous infection with 2 to 4 species was found in 47,5% of the infected children. Statistical association was found between parasitic infection and family hygienic level (p < 0.001). Socioeconomic level was defined as lower middle class, however, infrastructure and public services were adequate. The climate is continental semiarid and the soil is sandy with a low organic matter level. Intestinal protozoan organisms were found in 33.3% of soil samples and Sarcocystis sp. was the most frequent species (14.6%). The parasites present in soil are related to the environmental conditions that allow their viability and development. Socioeconomic and cultural factors are important for the appearance and spread of IP in communities where sanitary conditions and infrastructure are adequate.

[Streptococcus pyogenes: penicillin and erythromycin susceptibility in the cities of Neuquen and Cipolletti]

Penicillin resistance has not yet been detected in Streptococcus pyogenes. However macrolide-resistant streptococci have emerged in several countries. Only low rates of erythromycin-resistant S. pyogenes were reported in Argentina, with the exception of a 11.1% observed in Mendoza. The aim of the present study was to determine the susceptibility to penicillin and to erythromycin of 251 consecutive clinically-significant isolates of S. pyogenes obtained from four centers of Cipolletti and Neuquén during the period April-December 1998. The double disk test with erythromycin and clindamycin disks was employed as a screening method to detect ERY-resistant streptococci and to determine the phenotype of macrolide resistance. Disk diffusion was also employed for determining penicillin susceptibility. Macrolide-resistant isolates were also tested for penicillin, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, clindamycin and azithromycin susceptibility by the agar dilution method. Additionally they were also tested for erythromycin susceptibility by E-test (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden). All streptococci studied were susceptible to penicillin and thirty of them (12.0%) were resistant to erythromycin. All these resistant isolates were also resistant to azithromycin but susceptible to ceftriaxone and clindamycin. They showed the phenotype M (probably efflux-mediated mechanism) and the MICs of erythromycin ranged between 8 and 16 micrograms/ml. According to these results we conclude that in spite of universal susceptibility to penicillin in S. pyogenes, macrolide resistance is a matter of concern in Neuquén and Cipolletti. At least in those cities it appears to be necessary to routinely perform macrolide susceptibility tests in beta-hemolytic streptococci.