Giardiasis in day-care centers: evidence of person-to-person transmission.
In August and September 1975, an outbreak of diarrhea occurred in children 1 to 3 1/2 years old attending a day-care center. An investigation revealed overlapping epidemics of shigellosis and giardiasis, with 54% of the children infected with Giardia lamblia. At two other centers 29% and 38% of the children had G. lamblia infection, but none had Shigella. The prevalence of G. lamblia in the day-care children was significantly higher than the 2% prevalence in age-matched children not in day-care centers. Epidemiologic data suggested fecal-oral transmission of the parasite from child to child in the centers and from infected children to other family members.
D000328:Adult; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male