Giardiasis in malnourished children with diarrhea at the Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

The parasite Giardia lamblia is a cornmon worldwide cause of diarrhoea. One hundred and two malnourished chUdren and fifty two well nourished children were

studied by the author. They all had diarrhoea. The prevalence of giardiasis was found to be 13.5% among the well nourished group and 26.5% in the malnourished children. This was however not statistically different

0.05. Female children were found to be more frequently infected than the male malnourished children, 31.3% and 22.2% respectively. This difference was

statistically significant (P< 0.05) .

Concurrent infection with other organisms has been thought to cause symptoms ~n giardiasis ,Thirty Six (35.3%) of the malnourished children had Intestinal para- sites. 40.7% of the malnourished children with giardiasis were ~ound to have other parasitic infestations. Ascaris , ' lubricoides was the commonest parasite found in association with giardiasis. 33.3% of the malnourished children without giardiasis, were also found to be infected with intestinal parasites.