Article
Giardia intestinalis infection associated with malnutrition in children living in northeastern Brazil
Registration in:
NUNES, Beatriz Coronato et al. Giardia intestinalis infection associated with malnutrition in children living in northeastern Brazil. The Journal of Infection In Developing Countries, v. 11, n. 7, p. 563-570, July 2017.
2036-6590
10.3855/jidc.8410
1972-2680
Author
Nunes, Beatriz Coronato
Calegar, Deiviane Aparecida
Monteiro, Kerla Joeline Lima
Jaeger, Lauren Hubert
Reis, Elis Regina Chaves
Xavier, Samanta Cristina das Chagas
Carpp, Lindsay Nicole
Lima, Marli Maria
Bóia, Márcio Neves
Costa, Filipe Anibal Carvalho
Abstract
Introduction: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with Giardia intestinalisinfection, verifying its impact on the nutritional status of children in northeastern Brazil. Methodology:A cross-sectional study was conducted to obtain parasitological, sociodemographic, and anthropometric data in two municipalities in the states of Piauí and Ceará, northeastern Brazil. Results: Prevalence of giardiasis was 55/511 (10.8%). G. intestinaliswas more frequent in people living in poverty (30/209 [14.4%], p = 0.041), performing open evacuation (26/173 [15%], p = 0.034), and drinking rainwater stored in cisterns (9/56 [16.1%], p = 0.005). The proportion of stunting and being underweight in children infected with G. intestinaliswas significantly higher than that in uninfected children (5/23 [21.7%] vs. 10/179 [5.6%], p = 0.017, OR = 4.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.44–15.25 and 5/23 [21.7%] vs. 13/179 [7.3%], p = 0.038, OR = 3.54, 95% CI = 1.13–11.09, respectively). Infection with G. intestinalisremained significantly associated with stunting and being underweight after adjustment for poverty, municipality, sex, and age in a logistic regression multivariate model. Conclusions: In rural areas in northeastern Brazil, giardiasis has acquired great public health importance in the soil-transmitted helminths control era, impacting the nutritional status of children and requiring new approaches to diagnosis and treatment and translational research that could generate applicable solutions at the community level.