OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and incidence of intestinal parasites in children and staff members of 5 municipal daycare centers in Botucatu/SP. Two cross-sectional studies were carried out in 2002 (N=379) and 2003 (N=397) and a longitudinal observational experiment in which the children from 2002 and 2003 were evaluated for a year. Questionnaires were given to staff members and parents of the children, where the following variables were recorded: socioeconomic status, sanitary habits, home, age, gender and presence of domestic animals. Coproparasitologic tests were carried out in child daycare centers. The enteroparasite prevalence was 76.74% in 2002 and 34% in 2003. The variables associated with presence of enteroparasites in the investigation carried out in 2002 were: location of daycare centers (OR=0.27 CI=0.15-0.47); family salary (OR=4.38 CI=1.91-10.04); gender (OR=0.52 CI=0.32-0.85); child's age group (OR=2.08 CI=1.06-4.08), and presence of pets at home (OR=1.85 CI=1.10-3.11); in 2003, the variables were: daycare centers located in peripheral region (OR=0.49 CI=0.31-0.78), family salary (OR=3.69 CI=2.19-6.24); mother's education (OR=6.19 CI=1.81-21.21); gender (OR=0.58 CI=0.36-0.93), and presence of pets (OR=1.68 CI=1.01-2.79). The cohort had 253 children with an incidence of 23.22%. Data from this study highlighted situations of risk in specific populations (daycare centers), which could be useful for other childcare institutions.
Child; Intestinal parasites; Daycare center; Epidemiology
