[The distribution of intestinal parasites in children living in orphanages in Hatay, Turkey].

Intestinal parasites are an important public health problem in our country as in the rest of the world. Parasitic infection frequencies are related to the socioeconomic status and environmental factors. The aim of this study was to determine the parasite frequency in children in the 0-7 age group in the Hatay Society for the Protection of Children and in teenagers in the 7-17 age group in the Hatay Orphanage for boys and girls. One hundred and seventy seven children were examined for intestinal parasites. One or more intestinal parasites were found in 87 (49.2%) stool samples. The number and distribution of these parasites in the specimens is as follows: 57 (32.2%) Enterobius vermicularis, 14 (7.9%) Giardia intestinalis, 11 (6.2%) Ascaris lumbricoides, and 5 (2.8%) Taenia saginata.