Incidência de formas parasitárias em locais públicos de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais: estudo epidemiológico tranversal

Abstract

Parasitic intestinal infections, also known as enteroparasitoses, constitute a major public health problem, especially in regions characterized by inadequate basic sanitation services and poor individual and collective hygiene conditions. The transmission of these agents is directly associated with the contamination of soil, water, food, and surfaces by infectious forms of various parasitic species, which facilitates their spread within the community. In this context, the present study aimed to investigate the presence of helminth eggs and protozoan oocysts on surfaces in public spaces in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, using the adhesive tape technique described by Graham. This is an observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive study conducted between August 2025 and May 2026 in five public squares and two public parks located in different regions of the municipality. Samples were collected from surfaces used by the public, including benches, game tables, outdoor exercise equipment, drinking fountains, playground equipment, restrooms, and handrails. The collected samples were analyzed on 355 slides. Of these, only one showed Enterobius spp. eggs, representing a positive sample rate of 0.28%. The low prevalence of parasites, including Enterobius spp., suggests that environmental contamination by helminths and protozoa in the assessed public squares is low. This suggests that such environments do not appear to play a significant role in the maintenance or environmental spread of parasitic diseases in the region studied. However, the results obtained should be interpreted with caution, since the absence of detection does not necessarily imply the actual absence of parasitic contamination at the sites investigated or in the population of the region covered; there remains a need to adopt integrated environmental surveillance measures in accordance with the principles of One Health.