Giardia lamblia infections in children in Ghana
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Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pan African Medical Journal
Abstract
Introduction: Though giardiasis is an important public health problem in Ghana, several aspects of its epidemiology, particularly the molecular
epidemiology has not been investigated adequately. This could be a major hindrance to effective surveillance and control of giardiasis in the
country. The study was carried out to determine the prevalence, risk factors and genotypes of Giardia lamblia infecting children at a paediatric
hospital in Ghana. Methods: A total of 485 patients including 365 diarrhoea and 120 non-diarrhoea children were enrolled into the study. Stool
samples were collected and analysed for parasite presence using microscopy, ELISA and PCR. Positive samples were subsequently characterized
into assemblages by PCR-RFLP, and further confirmed with sequencing of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) gene. Epidemiological data on
demographic, clinical and behavioral features of the study subjects were also collected. Results: Prevalence of G. lamblia infections in diarrhoea
and non-diarrhoea children were 5.8% and 5% respectively (P>0.5). Sequence data confirmed Giardia lamblia assemblage B as the predominant
genotype in both diarrhoea and non-diarrhoea cases. There was no significant association of G. lamblia infection with any of the epidemiological
variables investigated. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that assemblage B could be the predominant genotype causing giardiasis in children.
Increased public health education focusing on good sanitary practices, particularly among mothers and children, could decrease the risk of
G. lamblia infection.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
children, Ghana, Giardia lamblia infections