Epidemiological study of risk factors related to childhood visceral leishmaniasis

This case control study was carried out to determine certain clinical and epidemiological risk factors related to childhood visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Study was conducted in paediatric wards of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Dependable variables are sex, age, housing, use of mosquito net, malnutrition, sleeping habit and seasonality. A total of 60 cases and 60 suitably matched controls were studied between January 2000 to December 2000. The exposure rate of VL is more in boys (70%) than in girls (30%). The frequency rate of VL was higher in children >10 years of age group (66.6%) than in other age groups. Mud house dwelling is significantly associated with the development of VL (81.6%) and carries 28.9 times greater risk of developing VL, than those dwelling in bamboo house (13.3%). The difference of this proportion is statistically significant (p<0.001, OR=28.9). The exposure rate of VL was slightly higher (51.6%) in mosquito net non-users than the mosquito net users. Grade III malnutrition was found significantly associated with (83.3%) VL (p<0.005). The frequency rate of VL was higher in children sleeping on floor than in children sleeping on Chowki or Khat (OR=2.07). Rainy season is significantly associated with VL (60%) and carries 2.4 times greater risk of developing VL than other seasons (p<0.05, OR=2.4). It can be concluded that mud house dwelling, grade III malnutrition, sleeping on floor and seasonality (rainy season) are the important risk factors of VL in children.