title: Intestinal parasite infections in immigrant children in the city of Rome, related risk factors and possible impact on nutritional status.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parasitic diseases can represent a social and economic problem among disadvantaged people--even in developed countries. Due to the limited data available concerning Europe, the aims of the present study were to evaluate the presence of parasites in immigrant children and the risk factors favouring the spread of parasites. Subsequently, the possible correlation between nutritional status and parasitic infections was also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A convenience sample of two hundred and forty seven immigrant children (aged 0-15) attending the Poliambulatorio della Medicina Solidale in Rome was examined. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, and parasitological and anthropometric tests were applied. Chi-squared test and binary logistic multiple-regression models were used for statistical analysis. Thirty-seven children (15%) tested positive to parasites of the following species: Blastocystis hominis, Entamoeba coli, Giardia duodenalis, Enterobius vermicularis, Ascaris lumbricoides and Strongyloides stercoralis. A monospecific infection was detected in 30 (81%) out of 37 parasitized children, while the others (19%) presented a polyparasitism. The major risk factors were housing, i.e. living in shacks, and cohabitation with other families (p<0.01). Children classified in the lower height Z-scores had a significantly greater prevalence of parasites (30.9%) than the others (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that parasite infection in children is still quite common, even in a developed country and that children's growth and parasitism may be related. Extensive improvements in the living, social and economic conditions of immigrants are urgently needed in order to overcome these problems.
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manganelli
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berrilli
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Cave
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ercoli
authors.forename: Gioia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capelli
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
authors.forename: Annunziata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giangaspero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D010271:Parasites / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012384:Rome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires