Giardia lamblia and other intestinal parasitic infections and their relationships with nutritional status in children in Brazilian Amazon.
The objective of this survey was to assess the relationships between intestinal parasitism, nutritional status and hemoglobin level in children with Indian ascendancy living in an urban area in Brazilian Amazon. We carried out a cross-sectional survey obtaining anthropometric, parasitological and socioeconomic data, and hemoglobin measurements of children aged six to 84 months. Anthropometric data were expressed as z-scores for weight for age (WAZ), height for age (HAZ), weight for height (WHZ) and mid upper circumference for age (MUACZ) parameters. Parasitological examinations were performed through Ritchie (n = 307), Kato-Katz (n = 278), Baermann-Moraes (n = 238) and Safranin-methylene blue methods (n = 307). Hemoglobin measurements were obtained with a Hemocue photometer (n = 282). Socioeconomic data were used in order to classify children in three family income strata (n = 242). Multiple linear regression analysis showed independent interactions between Giardia lamblia and WAZ (beta = -0.195, SE = 0.138, p = 0.003), WHZ (beta = -0.161, SE = 0.133, p = 0.018) and MUACZ (beta = -0.197, SE = 0.143, p = 0.011), controlling for age, sex, family income, Ascaris lumbricoides, and hookworm infection. Also, the multivariate model showed that the only variable associated with hemoglobin levels was age. Intestinal parasitism control should increase children's possibilities of full development in the studied area.
Carvalho-Costa
Filipe Anibal
FA
Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias - Medicina Tropical, IOC/Fiocruz, RJ, Brasil. guaratiba@ioc.fiocruz.br
Gonçalves
Alessandra Queiroga
AQ
Lassance
Sandra Laranjeira
SL
Silva Neto
Luanda Macedo da
LM
Salmazo
Carla Alexandra Almeida
CA
Bóia
Marcio Neves
MN
D000818:Animals; D000886:Anthropometry; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population
D006454:Hemoglobins