Epidemiologic inquiry about concept of parasitic zoonoses for municipal primary school teachers in Araçatuba - SP

Abstract

Considering the relevance of the educational degree and the amount of information held by the teachers in municipal primary schools (EMEI’S), the elevated occurrences of endoparasitosis in humans, and the endemic situation of canine visceral leishmaniosis in Araçatuba region, this study was elaborated with the aim of investigating their degree of knowledge regarding parasitological zoonosis (infestations). Thirty EMEI’S in Araçatuba were visited, in which 85 teachers were selected randomly and they were given a questionnaire that would test their knowledge about parasitosis. The descriptive statistic analysis revealed that 96.47% (82 out of 85) of the teachers said that walking barefoot can interfere in helminthic infection. 85.88% (73/85) said that biting fingernails can facilitate helminthic infection. 44.71% (38/85) knew nothing about helminthic pathogenesis. 63.53% (54/85) didn’t give helminthic pills to their pets (small animals). 92.74% (79/85) knew about the role played by cats in the transmission of toxoplasmosis. 82.35% (70/85) did not know the actual route of transmission in toxoplasmosis. 80.00% (68/85) blamed the dog as the spreader of this disease and only 4.71% (4/85) stated that meat and its byproducts as a possible source of transmission of Toxoplasma gondii. 67.06% (57/85) did not know anything about it. Concerning kalazar 91.76% (78/85) said dogs are transmitters of kalazar but 58.82%, (50/85) said they did not know how it was transmitted and 60.00% (51/85) said exclusive environmental cleaning would prevent the disease. Based on the results evidenced, we can conclude that there is a need of implanting a community educational campaign, towards the improvement of basic concepts on control and prevention of parasitic zoonosis.