title: Intestinal parasites and bacteria in Aboriginal children in South West Australia.
abstract: In a study of intestinal parasites in 697 Aboriginal children under the age of 6 years in South-west Australia, Giardia lamblia was recorded in 26% and Hymenolepis nana in 13.9%. G. lamblia infections occurred above 4 months of age, and H. nana infections above 18 months of age. There was a close correlation between infection with these two species (chi 2, P less than 0.001). Campylobacter jejuni, the predominant bacterial species recorded, was isolated in 2.3%, and was related to bowel symptoms in one child. G. lamblia was more prevalent in the country areas than in the Perth metropolitan area (chi 2, P less than 0.05. H. nana was more prevalent in children whose weight was below the third percentile (chi 2, P less than 0.02), and in those with diarrhoea (chi 2, P less than 0.01). There were strong correlations between low weight (below third percentile), a history of recent diarrhoea, and discharging ears.
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D001835:Body Weight; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D002168:Campylobacter fetus; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006925:Hymenolepiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples