Prevalence and related risk factors for giardia lamblia infection among children with acute diarrhea in Thi-Qar, southern Iraq

Abstract EN

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and to identify the risk factors associated with Giardia lamblia infection among diarrheic children who had been attended outpatient department of maternity and children teaching hospital for acute diarrhea and dehydration in Thi- Qar, Southern Iraq.

Fecal samples were collected from (396) children aged from (0–120) months and were examined by direct wet preparation and floatation method.

Data relating to sociodemographic, environment and host were also collected by questionnaire.

Giardia lamblia were present in faces of (94) diarrheic children (23.7 %).

The age group (24–48) month had the highest rate of infection (33.3 %).

Male had higher rate of infection than female (24.7 % vs 22.5 %) respectively.

Living in rural area, low education level of mothers, drinking raw or municipal water, hot seasons, living with four or more house hold children were significantly associated with Giardia lamblia infection (p < 0.05).

Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that the high prevalence of Giardia lamblia infection among children with acute diarrhea is a significant public health problem in Thi-Qar.