Giardiasis as a predictor of childhood malnutrition in Orang Asli children in Malaysia.
A cross-sectional study to examine the association of giardiasis with protein-energy malnutrition, vitamin A deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia was conducted among Orang Asli children in Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 281 children aged 2-15 years were studied. The data were collected using structured questionnaires, anthropometric measurements and laboratory analysis of blood and faecal samples. The results showed that 24.9% of the children were infected with Giardia duodenalis, while 56.5, 61.3 and 15.1% had significant underweight, stunting and wasting, respectively. Giardiasis was statistically identified as a strong predictor of significant wasting in this study population.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
M S Hesham
MS
Al-Mekhlafi
M
M
Azlin
U
U
Nor Aini
A
A
Shaik
A
A
Sa'iah
M S
MS
Fatmah
M G
MG
Ismail
M S
MS
Ahmad Firdaus
M Y
MY
Aisah
A R
AR
Rozlida
M
M
Norhayati
D000293:Adolescent; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology