title: Risk factors for Giardia infection among hospitalized children in Cuba.
abstract: The risk factors associated with Giardia infection, in children hospitalized in Havana, Cuba, were recently explored. Children aged ≥5 years were more likely to be positive for Giardia infection than the younger children, with an odds ratio (OR) of 3·41 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1·36-9·69]. The risk factors found to be associated with Giardia infection in univariate analyses were rural residence (OR = 3·01; CI = 1·23-7·35), belonging to a household that did not receive water from an aqueduct (OR = 3·27; CI = 1·21-8·91), drinking unboiled water (OR = 3·64; CI = 2·14-6·26), nail biting (OR = 3·47; CI = 1·97-6·08), eating unwashed vegetables raw (OR = 4·84; CI = 2·33-10·14), and a personal (OR = 3·23; CI = 1·58-6·59) or family history (OR = 3·96; CI = 1·53-10·47) of previous parasitic infection. In multivariate analyses, however, only two (modifiable) risk factors were found to be independently and significantly associated with Giardia infection: nail biting and eating unwashed vegetables raw. It therefore seems that, at least at the individual level, giardiasis-prevention activities in Havana should be focussed on health education to improve personal hygiene and food-related practices. If appropriately managed, the surveillance of drinking water and foodstuffs, for Giardia and other parasites, might also help to reduce the hospitalization of Cuban children.
authors.affiliation: Academic Paediatric Hospital of Cerro, Calzada del Cerro No. 2002, Cerro, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Núñez
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Almirall
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Escobedo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000193:education; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009259:Nail Biting; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables / Q000469:parasitology; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D014867:Water