Intestinal helminths identified in humans, goats, sheep and pigs: potential interface between human and parasitism in rural area in the state of Piauí

Jéssica P. Santos1,2,4; Kerla J. L. Monteiro2,4; Beatriz C. Nunes2,4; Lauren H. Jaeger2,4; Elis R. C. Reis3; Deiviane A. Calegar2,4; Alexander O. Maia2; Maria Jaqueline Mesquita1,2,4; Márcio N. Bóia2, and Filipe A. Carvalho-Costa1,2,4

1Escritório da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/ Fiocruz/PI; E-mail: [email protected]; Rua Magalhães Filho, 519 – Teresina (PI), Centro/Norte; Cep: 64000-128. 2Programa de Pós- Graduação do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz/RJ; Av. Brasil, 4365 – Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro; Cep: 21040-900. 3Secretaria Municipal de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré/Piauí; Av. Agostinho Barbosa; Cep: 64.283-000. 4Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Sistemática Molecular do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz/RJ; Av. Brasil, 4365 – Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro; Cep: 21040-900.

In rural areas of Piauí state, there is close contact between humans and goats, sheep and pigs. This intimate contact favors the emergence of parasitic zoonoses. This study assess infection by intestinal parasites in humans, goats, pigs and sheep in living in close contact in Piauí state, assessing potentially zoonotic transmission in the human-animal interface. A cross-sectional survey, including 307 individuals and 88 livestock. Kato-Katz and Ritchie techniques were performed for human fecal samples, and Willis and Ritchie methods for the analysis of stool samples. Morphometric indices were performed in order to classify the eggs of parasites in , and/or Oesophagostomum. Prevalence of in humans was 14.3%, with higher positivity rate among individuals aged 11-20 years. Strongylida eggs were identified in 19/22 (86.3%) of stool samples from goats, 11/13 (84.6%) in sheep and 48/53 (90.6%) in pigs. We measured 44 human eggs, length ranging from 56 to 80, compatible with . Strongylida eggs obtained from sheep and goats had an average length of 78.17 ± 9.13 µm ranging from 65 to 93 µm. In pigs, the average was 67.9 ± 8.8 µm ranging from 44 to 91 µm. The morphometric analysis showed that among Strongylida eggs from pigs, 87.5% had a size compatible with Oesophagostomum and 14.6% were compatible with Trichostrongylus. Regarding eggs obtained from goats, 57.9% had a size compatible with Trichostrongylus and 63.2% were compatible with Oesophagostomum. In sheep 36.4% of eggs were compatible with Oesophagostomum and 63.6% with Trichostrongylus. There was also a positivity rate of 9.4% of infection with Ascaris sp. in pigs, most likely Ascaris suum. No egg identified in humans had size compatible with Trichostrongylus. Infection with Ascaris sp. was absent in humans who live in close contact with infected pigs, suggesting the absence of zoonotic transmission of these parasites in the studied population.

Palavras-chave: Strongylida Order. Zoonotic transmission. Rural area.