Parasitism and diarrhoea in children from two rural communities and marginal barrio in Honduras

Abstract

In Honduras, one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children is diarrhoea, but little is known about its aetiology and risk factors. A prospective longitudinal study of 266 children over a 12 month period in 2 rural villages and a marginal barrio revealed attack rates of 7 episodes per child per year among those less than 36 months of age. The most common parasite was Giardia lamblia, found in 61% of the children and in 29% of 848 episodes of diarrhoea. Chronic diarrhoea was noted in 46·6% of the children and 81% of them were infected with G. lamblia. Multiple infections with 5–10 different species of parasites or commensals were common (47%); no parasites or commensals were found in 17 children (6·4%). No case of acute amoebic dysentery was diagnosed either clinically or parasitologically, although 20% of the children had cysts of E. histolytica in the stools. Other potential parasitic pathogens identified were Cryptosporidium sp. (6·7%), Hymenolepis nana (8%), and Strongyloides stercoralis (2·6%). Dientamoeba fragilis was found in iron haematoxylin smears for the first time in Honduras. Important risk factors recognized included high faecal contamination of the environment, lack of potable water, education and housing in the midst of poverty. The marginal barrio was more affected than the rural villages. Should these factors not be changed or modified, diarrhoea caused by infectious agents will remain an endemic life-threatening problem.