[Prevalence and causal factors of anemia in children in Tunisia]

Anemia continue to be prevalent among children under five years despite the improvement of socioeconomic and sanitary indicators. The purpose of the present cross-sectorial study is to assess the etiologic factors responsible for anemia. Knowledge of the relative importance of the different causes should form a basis for intervention strategies to prevent and control anemia. The survey covered 955 children under the age of five years, native of two regions with the highest prevalence of anemia, the Southwest and the District of Tunis. The results showed that 29% of children suffered from anemia. About 70% of them were iron deficient. The fractions of the deficiency in vitamin B 12 and in folates were insignificant Only 3% of children had chronic inflammation associated with [and possibly responsible for] their anemia A little fraction of anemia [=5%] was due to thalassemia or drepanocytosis. Picawasan important causal factor of iron deficiency anemia. The parasites identified in stool could not cause anemia