TY - JOUR
T1 - Giardia lamblia infections in children in Ghana
AU - Anim-Baidoo, Isaac
AU - Narh, Charles Akugbey
AU - Oddei, Dora
AU - Brown, Charles Addoquaye
AU - Enweronu-Laryea, Christabel
AU - Bandoh, Betty
AU - Sampane-Donkor, Eric
AU - Armah, George
AU - Adjei, Andrew Anthony
AU - Adjei, David Nana
AU - Ayeh-Kumi, Patrick Ferdinand
AU - Gyan, Ben Adu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Isaac Anim-Baidoo et al.
PY - 2016/7/12
Y1 - 2016/7/12
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Assemblage B
KW - Diarrhoea
KW - Ghana
KW - Giardia lamblia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85007485695&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.11604/pamj.2016.24.217.8012
DO - 10.11604/pamj.2016.24.217.8012
M3 - Article
C2 - 27800072
AN - SCOPUS:85007485695
SN - 1937-8688
VL - 24
JO - Pan African Medical Journal
JF - Pan African Medical Journal
M1 - 217
ER -