A Comparison of the Risk for Chronic Fascioliasis between Children 3 to 5 Years and Children 6 to 12 Years of Age in the Cusco Region of Peru

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021 Jul 19;105(3):684-687. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1649.

Abstract

School-age children bear the highest burden of fascioliasis in endemic countries. Few studies have addressed Fasciola in preschool children. We performed a secondary data analysis using two Fasciola databases from Cusco, Peru, comparing preschoolers with elementary school children. We included 2,630 children, 50% were female, the median age was 8.4 years (interquartile range [IQR] 6.1-10.5), and 15% (396/2,630) were < 5 years of age. Children < 5 years were less likely to be infected with Fasciola hepatica (P = 0.008) and Hymenolepis nana (P < 0.001) and more likely to have anemia (P < 0.001) and a lower median height for age Z (HAZ) score (P = 0.002). Fascioliasis was less common in younger children, but this group may be at higher risk for chronic complications caused by fascioliasis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Anemia / epidemiology
  • Anemia / therapy
  • Child
  • Child Nutrition Disorders / epidemiology
  • Child Nutrition Disorders / therapy
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chronic Disease
  • Databases, Factual
  • Fascioliasis / epidemiology*
  • Fascioliasis / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Growth Disorders / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Peru / epidemiology
  • Risk Factors