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Influence of helminth infections on childhood nutritional status in lowland Bolivia.
- Source :
-
American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council [Am J Hum Biol] 2009 Sep-Oct; Vol. 21 (5), pp. 651-6. - Publication Year :
- 2009
-
Abstract
- Infectious disease, such as diarrheal disease, respiratory infections, and parasitic infections, are an important source of nutritional and energetic stress in many populations. Inspired by the research and methodological innovations of A. Roberto Frisancho, this work considers the impact of childhood environment and local disease ecology on child health and nutritional patterns among an indigenous group in lowland Bolivia. Specifically, we examine the association between soil-transmitted helminth infection, especially hookworm species, and anthropometric markers of short- and long-term nutritional status. Fecal samples, anthropometric dimensions, and health interviews were collected for 92 children ranging in age from 2.0 to 10.9 years. Microscopic examination revealed high levels of parasitic infection, with 76% of children positive for hookworm species infections (77% of girls and 74% of boys). Less common infections included Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichurius trichiura, and Strongyloides stercoralis with only 15% of children positive for multiple-species infections. After adjusting for sex and age, no statistically significant associations were observed between helminth infections and the frequency of reported illness or anthropometric measures of nutritional status. These data demonstrate the difficulty of assessing nutritional impacts of endemic infections.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Bolivia epidemiology
Child
Child Nutrition Disorders etiology
Child, Preschool
Female
Helminthiasis ethnology
Hookworm Infections complications
Hookworm Infections ethnology
Humans
Indians, South American
Infant
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic ethnology
Male
Body Weights and Measures
Child Nutrition Disorders ethnology
Helminthiasis complications
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic complications
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1520-6300
- Volume :
- 21
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 19402038
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.20944