title: Stunting and helminth infection in early preschool-age children in a resource-poor community in the Amazon lowlands of Peru.
abstract: The World Health Organization recommends deworming of children aged 12-24 months in highly endemic areas. Our research objectives were to: 1) examine prevalence patterns of helminth infection in early childhood; 2) assess the association between helminth infection and socio-demographic characteristics; and 3) examine the effect of the intensity of helminth infection on stunting and anemia. A survey of children (7-9 and 12-14 months) living in Belén (Peru) was undertaken between July 2007 and February 2008. A questionnaire was administered to obtain socio-demographic characteristics, blood and stool samples were collected, and length-for-age Z scores were calculated. The Kato-Katz method was used to determine the prevalence and intensity of Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm infections. Of 370 participating children, 349 had parasitological results. Infections first appeared in children at 8 months of age. The prevalence of any helminth infection increased linearly to approximately 37.0% (95%CI: 24.3-51.3%) by 14 months of age. Multivariate analysis showed that age, female sex, and residing in the floodplain were significant determinants of helminth infection. Among infected children, moderate-to-heavy infection of any helminth was associated with stunting (βadjusted=-0.84; 95%CI: -1.48, -0.20). These results support the implementation of deworming programs aimed at young children in highly endemic areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, and Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Royal Victoria Hospital-V Building, 687 Pine Avenue W., Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1A1. theresa.gyorkos@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Theresa W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Gyorkos
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maheu-Giroux
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casapía
authors.forename: Serene A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Creed-Kanashiro
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006725:Hookworm Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014258:Trichuris