Quihui-Cota Luis, Lugo-Flores Carmen M, Ponce-Martínez Jose A, Morales-Figueroa Gloria G
Coordinación de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo Sonora, México.
J Infect Dev Ctries. 2015 Aug 29;9(8):878-83. doi: 10.3855/jidc.6751.
Undernutrition is a recognized public health problem in Mexican children and cryptosporidiosis is probably a factor contributing to this problem. However, it remains a neglected and poorly attended infection in Mexico. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum and to establish its association with the nutritional status in schoolchildren of northwestern Mexico.
A total of 405 schoolchildren between 6 and 13 years of age were included in this study. Weight-for-age (W/A), height-for-age (H/A) and body mass index-for-age (BMI/A) Z scores were calculated. The Faust technique was used to detect intestinal parasites in stool samples and C. parvum coproantigen was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
The overall prevalence of C. parvum was 28.4%. Some of the study children were C. parvum free (n = 86) and some were C. parvum infected (n = 77). The prevalences of risk of undernutrition found in both groups of children for H/A, W/A, and BMI/A Z scores were 18%, 21% and 28%, respectively. Weight, ZW/A, and ZH/A were significantly higher in the C. parvum-free group compared to the C. parvum-infected group (p ≤ 0.05). The children with cryptosporidiosis were 2.7 times more likely to be at risk of undernutrition by W/A Z score and 2.9 times more likely to be at risk of undernutrition by ZH/A than were the C. parvum-free children.
Cryptosporidiosis may be a contributing factor to childhood undernutrition in northwestern Mexico. The proper authorities must implement control and prevention measurements in Mexico and other developing countries.
营养不良是墨西哥儿童中一个公认的公共卫生问题，隐孢子虫病可能是导致这一问题的一个因素。然而，在墨西哥，它仍然是一种被忽视且很少得到关注的感染病。本研究旨在确定微小隐孢子虫的患病率，并确定其与墨西哥西北部学童营养状况的关联。
本研究共纳入405名6至13岁的学童。计算年龄别体重（W/A）、年龄别身高（H/A）和年龄别体重指数（BMI/A）Z评分。采用浮氏法检测粪便样本中的肠道寄生虫，并用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）检测微小隐孢子虫粪便抗原。
微小隐孢子虫的总体患病率为28.4%。部分研究儿童未感染微小隐孢子虫（n = 86），部分儿童感染了微小隐孢子虫（n = 77）。两组儿童中，H/A、W/A和BMI/A Z评分的营养不良风险患病率分别为18%、21%和28%。未感染微小隐孢子虫组的体重、ZW/A和ZH/A显著高于感染组（p≤0.05）。与未感染微小隐孢子虫的儿童相比，患隐孢子虫病的儿童因W/A Z评分出现营养不良风险的可能性高2.7倍，因ZH/A出现营养不良风险的可能性高2.9倍。
隐孢子虫病可能是墨西哥西北部儿童营养不良的一个促成因素。相关主管部门必须在墨西哥和其他发展中国家实施控制和预防措施。
