Epidemiological Survey of Histoplasmine and Paracoccidioidine Skin Reactivity in an Agricultural Area in Bolívar State, Venezuela

• Published in: European journal of epidemiology 2004, Vol.19 (2), p.189-193
• Main Authors: Cermeño, Julman Rosiris, Hernández, Isabel, Cermeño, Julmery Jesús, Godoy, Gerardo, Cermeño, July Josefina, Orellán, Yida, Blanco, Ytalia, Cabello, Ismery, Guzmán, Yesenia, Alcalá, Frannelly, García, Teófilo, Penna, Salvador
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Antigens; Biological and medical sciences; Blastomycoses and paracoccidioidomycosis; Child; Child, Preschool; Coccidioidin - adverse effects; Coccidioidin - pharmacology; Disease; Endemic Diseases; Epidemiology; Farmers; Female; Fungal infections; Fungi; Geographic regions; Histoplasma; Histoplasma capsulatum; Histoplasmin - adverse effects; Histoplasmin - pharmacology; Histoplasmoses; Histoplasmosis; Histoplasmosis - diagnosis; Histoplasmosis - epidemiology; Human mycoses; Humans; Incidence; Infections; Infectious Diseases; Injection; Intradermal tests; Male; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mycoses; Paracoccidioides brasiliensis; Paracoccidioidomycosis - diagnosis; Paracoccidioidomycosis - epidemiology; Population Surveillance; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Reactivity; Risk Factors; Rural areas; Rural Population; Sex Distribution; Skin; Skin Tests - methods; Tropical mycoses; Venezuela - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0393-2990; 1573-7284
• DOI: 10.1023/b:ejep.0000017716.95609.bc

Paracoccidiodomycosis and histoplasmosis are endemic diseases in the south of Venezuela, representing a public health problem. Prevalence of Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis and Histoplasma capsulatum infections were estimated in Monte Ralo, a rural community area of Bolívar state using paracoccidiodine and histoplasmine skin tests. Paracoccidiodine was intradermically injected to 173 persons and readings were made at 24 and 48 h afterwards to 167 persons (97.85%). Reaction was positive in 8.5% (n = 14) at 24 h post-injection and 13.2% (n = 20) at 48 h. Farmers showed the higher percentage of positivity at 24 and 48 h. One hundred-seventy five persons were intradermically injected with histoplasmine but 167 and 157 of them attended for reading of the dermal reaction at 24 and 48 h post-injection respectively. Tests were positive in 25.7% (n = 43) at 24 h and 42.7% (n = 67) at 48 h. Further studies are needed in surrounding places to delimit the endemic area of these mycosis in the Bolívar state. However, epidemiological vigilance of PCM and H should be considered by local health authorities.