[Relationship between pathogen intestinal parasitic infection and wasting and growth stunting]

Malnutrition is one of the most important health problems in developing countries, especially in school students. To determine of relationship between intestinal parasitic infection and wasting and growth stunting incidence among primary students in rural areas of Kashan, in the year of 2008. In this Case-Control study, 65 students with wasting and 65 students with growth stunting were chosen as case groups, also 65 students without malnutrition were chosen as control group. The National Center of Health Statistic [NCHS] growth charts was used as normal standard. The nutritional status was measured by Waterlow classification indicators, [The ratio of weight to height [wasting] and height to age [stunting] for pathogen intestinal parasites diagnosis]. Three serial fecal samples from students in case and control groups was collected during different days, in addition Cellophane tape method for Enterobius vermicularis eggs was performed in all of them. According to data, there were no significant relation between Pathogen intestinal parasitic infection and wasting and growth stunting [P=0.08 and P=0.18] respectively. The possibility of causing major detrimental effect on natural status of children by light parasitism is low

Intestinal helminthiasis in relation to height and weight of early primary school children in northeastern peninsular Malaysia.

Stool examination, height and weight measurements were undertaken on 249 early primary school children at two schools in North-eastern Peninsular Malaysia. Helminth infected children were treated and follow-up anthropometric measurements and stool examination undertaken on all (n = 100) children at one of the schools 16 months later; to observe the relationship between acquisition of infection and growth. Baseline Ascaris prevalence rates at the two schools were 16.0% (23/144) and 47.6% (50/105) respectively whilst Trichuris rates were 33.3% (48/144) and 52.4% (55/105). Hookworm infection was uncommon. There was no difference in weight or height for age between infected and uninfected children at any time. Acquisition of worm infection over the initial 16 month follow-up period was not associated with significant decreases in growth rates. However the small subsets of children with heavy Ascaris infection were consistently lighter and shorter at all evaluation times. They also gained significantly less weight and tended to have reduced linear growth rates between measurements. Further interventional studies are required to determine if this association is one of cause and effect or largely incidental.