[Hematologic-nutritional study in children predisposed to infection with high-load of Trichuris trichiura].

A coproparasitological survey is carried out in 3 family doctors' home-offices in City of Havana Province following the Kato-Katz technique (3 samples from each person); we found 15 children predisposed to high-load infection by Trichuris trichiura. This group was compared to a group of 20 children infected with a low parasite load, and to another group of 20 children with no parasite infection. A study of nutritional anemia was carried out to all of them including: hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin, serum iron, vitamin B12, and serum and erythrocyte folates. No significant differences were found in the mean values of the hematologic parameters under study in the various groups, all values being within normal limits. All the children under study had normal anthropometric-nutritional index values. Based on the results attained, we suggest that the reported anemia in individuals infected with a high load of T. trichiura is not only due to parasite infection; other factors may influence on it, probably a certain concomitant protein-energy deficiency.