INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTION IN EGYPTIAN CHILDREN: COULD IT BE A RISK FACTOR FOR IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a prevalent nutritional disorder in children globally.
• Parasitic infections and socioeconomic determinants are suspected contributors to IDA.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between specific parasitic infections and socioeconomic factors with IDA in children.
• To identify independent risk factors for IDA in the studied pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 194 children diagnosed with IDA and 180 age-matched controls.
• Data collection included complete blood count (CBC), iron indices, medical history, anthropometric measurements, and stool analysis.
• Multivariate regression analysis was employed to identify independent risk factors.

Main Results:

• Ancylostoma duodenale, Ascaris lumbercoides, and Giardia lamblia infections were identified as independent risk factors for IDA.
• Lower family income, larger family size, and infrequent meat consumption were also significant risk factors.
• A. duodenale and G. lamblia infections correlated with lower ferritin levels in anemic children.

Conclusions:

• Parasitic infections and certain socioeconomic factors are significant independent risk factors for IDA in children.
• Targeting these factors, particularly parasitic infections and poverty, may help reduce the burden of childhood IDA.
• Further research can explore the interplay between nutrition, infection, and socioeconomic status in IDA etiology.