Giardiasis Among Orang Asli Children at Pos Lenjang, Pahang / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Giardia intestinalis is a cosmopolitan parasite and the infection is widely distributed worldwide especially in the developing countries with poor sanitation and lack of potable water. Seventy one Orang Asli children from Pos Lenjang, Pahang participated in this study and stool specimens were collected and examined for G. intestinalis using three diagnostic techniques ie; Direct fecal smear, Formalin-ether concentration and Trichrome staining. The prevalence of G. intestinalis infection among the Orang Asli children in Pos Lenjang, Pahang was as high as 43.7%. According to gender, the prevalence was almost similar between the female and male children with 45.0% and 41.9%, respectively. The infection was more prevalent in school going children (48.6%) as compared to the pre-school children (38.2%).