Clinical and epidemiological aspects of enterobiosis in children

Objective. To study and analyze the clinical and epidemiological picture of the incidence of enterobiosis in children living in the Astrakhan Region for 2017–2021.

Materials and methods. During the work, epidemiological maps of persons with a confirmed diagnosis of Enterobiosis were analyzed, which was identified on the basis of laboratory data (detection of pinworm eggs in perianal folds and feces).

Results. From 2017 to 2021, in the Astrakhan Region, 12 627 cases of human infection with helminth-protozoal infestations were registered, of which 94.9 % (11 982 cases) were children under the age of 17. The share of cases of enterobiosis in children in the structure of the total childhood parasitic morbidity for the analyzed period was 84.1 % (10 071 cases). Thus, enterobiosis was registered in all age groups, most often occurring in children aged 7 to 17 years – 59.1 % (5950 cases). A slightly smaller number of cases of enterobiosis was registered in children aged from 1 to 7 years – 40.0 % (4026 cases); a minimum of enterobiosis cases was registered in children aged 5 to 12 months – 0.9 % (95 cases). Enterobiosis was identified both in urban and rural areas, most often detected in children living in the rural areas of the Astrakhan region – 53.5 % (5,393 cases).

Enterobiosis was diagnosed during preventive examinations before going to school or kindergarten – 72.7 % (7325 cases). Another part of the children – 20.4 % (2053 cases) sought medical help at medical institutions due to the presence of clinical symptoms of the disease. In rare cases – 6.9 % (693 cases) children were examined as contact ones by one of the family members. As a rule, the clinical picture was noted only in children who addressed for medical help in connection with complaints and symptoms of the disease – 20.4 % (2053 children). In all the cases described by us, children had a mild form of enterobiosis manifested by itching in the perianal region, which occurred in the evening and/or at night – 96.8 % (1987 children), poor sleep – 47.7 % (979 children), nausea – 8.5 % (174 children).

Conclusions. Enterobiosis is most often registered in childhood than in adulthood. Most often enterobiosis infection with pinworms affects children aged 7–17 years. The main reason for infecting children is the presence of onychophagy, geophagy and contact with pets, on the wool of which pinworm eggs can persist for a long time.