Intestinal parasitoses represent one of the main public health problems, being endemic in various regions of Brazil, and may be related to demographic and environmental factors, such as poor socioeconomic conditions. A major problem involving such conditions occurs in the dumps that exist in most cities in Brazil, where collectors of recyclable materials work and are exposed to various risks because their work is performed without the minimum safety conditions, therefore being targets for various types of diseases, in which are included intestinal parasites. The objective of this research was to investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in the garbage dump community in the municipality of Patos-PB. Enteroparasites were found in 70% of the individuals analyzed, from which 85.7% were parasitized by protozoa and 14.3% by helminths. It is verified that in order to extinguish and control the presence of intestinal parasites in collectors of recyclable materials, health and environmental education actions are necessary to execute parasitological examinations regularly and the proper use of personal safety equipment during the collection.

No abstract