[Gastrointestinal parasitic carriage in adopted children].
BACKGROUND
Intestinal parasitoses are very common infections in tropical areas. By contrast, they are rarely diagnosed in developed countries, and are mostly seen in specific populations.


METHODS
This analytical observational study was longitudinally performed in a French university hospital (2007-2011). It dealt with the study of gastrointestinal carriage of parasites in internationally adopted children. A standard stool examination was therefore systematically undertaken for every new immigrant. Association with risk factors was made by uni- and multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
Overall, 69 stool samples were analyzed. The proportion of positive samples was 78 %. Protozoans, mainly Giardia duodenalis, were more prevalent than helminths. In univariate analysis, a subject's low weight and height were significantly associated with intestinal parasite carriage. Amoebae were more frequent in older children and in children from Haiti, as confirmed by the trend observed in the multivariate analysis. Flagellates were seen more often in African children. Infections with multiple parasite species were observed in half of the study population, and were inversely correlated to increasing age.


CONCLUSIONS
According to the results of this study, gastrointestinal parasites are still very frequent in stool samples from immigrant children. Since they are easy to transmit, the majority of infections were protozoan. The best antiparasitic strategy lies in: (a) the routine screening of stool from any immigrant child coming from endemic areas and (b) the use of antiparasitic treatment.
Service de parasitologie-mycologie-médecine tropicale, CHU de Tours, bâtiment B2A, 1(er) étage, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France; UMR-Inserm U1100/équipe 3, centre d'étude des pathologies respiratoires, faculté de médecine, université François-Rabelais, 10, boulevard Tonnellé, 37032 Tours cedex 1, France. Electronic address: guillaume.desoubeaux@univ-tours.fr.
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Desoubeaux
Service de parasitologie-mycologie-médecine tropicale, CHU de Tours, bâtiment B2A, 1(er) étage, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France.
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Collin-Dorca
Service d'information médicale, d'épidémiologie et d'économie de la santé, CHU de Tours, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France; EE éducation éthique santé, université François-Rabelais,département de médecine générale, 10, boulevard Tonnellé, 37032 Tours cedex 1, France.
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Guillon-Grammatico
UMR 1282, infectiologie et santé publique, université François-Rabelais, 31, avenue Monge, 37200 Tours, France; UMR 1282, infectiologie et santé publique, INRA, centre de recherches Val-de-Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
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Dimier-Poisson
Service de parasitologie-mycologie-médecine tropicale, CHU de Tours, bâtiment B2A, 1(er) étage, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France.
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Bez
Service de parasitologie-mycologie-médecine tropicale, CHU de Tours, bâtiment B2A, 1(er) étage, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France.
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Bailly
UMR-Inserm U1100/équipe 3, centre d'étude des pathologies respiratoires, faculté de médecine, université François-Rabelais, 10, boulevard Tonnellé, 37032 Tours cedex 1, France; Service de médecine interne et maladies infectieuses, CHU de Tours, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France.
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Bernard
Service de médecine interne et maladies infectieuses, CHU de Tours, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France; Service de pédiatrie, CHU de Tours, 49, boulevard Béranger, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France.
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Maakaroun-Vermesse
Service de parasitologie-mycologie-médecine tropicale, CHU de Tours, bâtiment B2A, 1(er) étage, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 09, France; UMR-Inserm U1100/équipe 3, centre d'étude des pathologies respiratoires, faculté de médecine, université François-Rabelais, 10, boulevard Tonnellé, 37032 Tours cedex 1, France.
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Chandenier
D000300:Adoption; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence