Enterobius vermicularis infection in preschool and schoolchildren of six rural communities from a semiarid region of Venezuela: A clinical and epidemiological study

Between August 2001 and July 2002, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate clinical and epidemiological data on pinworm infection among 427 preschool and primary school age children of six rural communities from the semiarid region of Falcon state, northwestern Venezuela. Children were evaluated clinically and parasitologically by the Graham method. Overall prevalence was high (63.23 %). Pinworm infection rates were not significantly different between sex or age, suggesting similar transmission pattern and risk conditions for all individuals. Among the clinical findings and children’s habits, only perianal itching, enuresis, bruxism, and finger sucking showed significant higher percentages in infected children than in uninfected. Of interest was that anal pruritus (odds ratio [OR], 2.441), finger sucking (OR, 1.901), lower socioeconomic levels (OR, 4.358) and high levels of overcrowding conditions (≥ 3 persons/room: OR, 1.878; ≥ 2 persons/bed: OR, 11.833) appeared to be significant factors associated with transmission and endemic maintenance of enterobiasis among student children in this semi-arid Venezuelan region.