title: Longitudinal study of giardiasis in three day care centres of Havana City.
abstract: The prevalence, incidence and reinfection of giardiasis were studied in 365 children attending three day care centres (DCCs) in Havana City. Three stool samples were obtained from each child every 6 months during an 18-month period. We identified three distinct groups of children according to their patterns of infection. In the largest group (51%) children were never found infected. In the second group, they were found infected once or twice during the study period, and in the third and the smallest group (9%) they were found infected in most or all the study periods. This last group seems to be children 'predisposed' to Giardia lamblia infection. The prevalence of giardiasis (20%) remained almost constant throughout the study period. The incidence declined from 16 to 11%, and reinfection increased from 36 to 49%. All the children had normal nutritional status and the only clinical manifestation that correlated strongly with the frequency of cross-sectional surveys positive to Giardia was the number of diarrhoeal episodes recorded during the last 6 months of the study period. Further studies will be necessary to ascertain the causes that determine the 'predisposition' to giardiasis in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kouri, Autopista Novia del Mediodia km 6 entre Autopista Nacional y Carretera Central, Ciudad Habana, Cuba. fan@ipk.sld.cu
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Núñez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Finlay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015995:Prevalence