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BMC Infectious Diseases
Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research article

Recurrent wheezing is associated with intestinal protozoan infections in Warao Amerindian children in Venezuela: a cross-sectional survey

Authors: Marcella MA Overeem, Lilly M Verhagen, Peter WM Hermans, Berenice del Nogal, Adriana Márquez Sánchez, Natacha Martinez Acevedo, Rosalicia Ramirez Murga, Jeroen Roelfsema, Elena Pinelli, Jacobus H de Waard

Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

While in developed countries the prevalence of allergic diseases is rising, inflammatory diseases are relatively uncommon in rural developing areas. High prevalence rates of helminth and protozoan infections are commonly found in children living in rural settings and several studies suggest an inverse association between helminth infections and allergies. No studies investigating the relationship between parasitic infections and atopic diseases in rural children of developing countries under the age of 2 years have been published so far. We performed a cross-sectional survey to investigate the association of helminth and protozoan infections and malnutrition with recurrent wheezing and atopic eczema in Warao Amerindian children in Venezuela.

Methods

From August to November 2012, 229 children aged 0 to 2 years residing in the Orinoco Delta in Venezuela were enrolled. Data were collected through standardized questionnaires and physical examination, including inspection of the skin and anthropometric measurements. A stool sample was requested from all participants and detection of different parasites was performed using microscopy and real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

We observed high prevalence rates of atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing, respectively 19% and 23%. The prevalence of helminth infections was 26% and the prevalence of protozoan infections was 59%. Atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing were more frequently observed in stunted compared with non-stunted children in multivariable analysis (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.3 – 13.6, p = 0.015 and OR 4.5, 95% CI 0.97 – 21.2, p = 0.055). Furthermore, recurrent wheezing was significantly more often observed in children with protozoan infections than in children without protozoan infections (OR 6.7, 95% CI 1.5 – 30.5).

Conclusions

High prevalence rates of atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing in Warao Amerindian children under 2 years of age were related to stunting and intestinal protozoan infections respectively. Helminth infections were not significantly associated with either atopic eczema or recurrent wheezing.
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Metadata
Title
Recurrent wheezing is associated with intestinal protozoan infections in Warao Amerindian children in Venezuela: a cross-sectional survey
Authors
Marcella MA Overeem
Lilly M Verhagen
Peter WM Hermans
Berenice del Nogal
Adriana Márquez Sánchez
Natacha Martinez Acevedo
Rosalicia Ramirez Murga
Jeroen Roelfsema
Elena Pinelli
Jacobus H de Waard
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Infectious Diseases / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2334
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2334-14-293

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