Risk Factor of and among Stunted Children in Bandung Regency, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND

Stunting, resulting from chronic malnutrition, increases susceptibility to infections due to immature immunity. and may contribute to stunting. We aimed to determine the characteristics of intestinal protozoan infection among stunting children.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 among 280 stunted children in Bandung Regency, West Java, Indonesia. Faecal specimens were collected, with portions preserved separately in 10% formaldehyde and RNA Later solution. Of these, 230 met the examination criteria. Risk factors and demographic data were obtained through interviews. DNA was extracted, and intestinal protozoan infection were detected using PCR targeting the 18S SSU rRNA gene for and 16S-like RNA gene for .

RESULTS

The prevalence of and was 5.6% (13/230) and 55.6% (128/230), respectively. Multivariate analysis identified age ( 0.004; OR 0.327) and no availability of a septic tank ( 0.021; OR 4.881) were the significant risk factors for infection. For infection, significant risk factors included age ( 0.033; OR 0.722) and gender ( 0.047; OR 1.742).

CONCLUSION

Stunting and intestinal protozoan infection present a dual burden. and infections were prevalent among stunted children. Significant risk factors included age and septic tank unavailability for , while age and gender were associated with infection. Improved sanitation and targeted interventions are essential to reduce infection risks.