अमूर्त

Prevalence, risk factors and molecular investigation of Giardiasis among infants in Al-Shamia City, Al-Qadisiya Governorate, Iraq.

Nihad Khalawe Tektook, Hiba Riyadh Jameel Al-Abodi, Eptissam Younan Pirko

The present study aimed at examining the Giardia dudenale infection in diarrheal infants who visited the Al-Shamia General Hospital from January 2017 until the end of June 2018. (200) samples of feces were examined for infants aged (1 month-2 years), the samples at the beginning examine by the direct moist smear method and the results showed that 45 samples were positive for infection (22.5%). The study also focused on the impact of some important factors related to children which represent the specific risk factors for the disease, such as age, gender, and nutrition type, the results showed that the lowest percentage was (20.22%) in the age group (1-6 months), while the highest rate of infection was (38.07%) in the age group (1-2 years), and the rate of parasite infection in males and females is somewhat similar, where was (31.69%) and (29.93%), respectively, with the highest rate of infection (39.21%) for infants who rely on artificial feeding and the lowest rate of breastfeeding infants (19.99%). Positive samples were subjected to molecular diagnosis using the most accurate Real-Time PCR technique, the results showed that the parasitic infection rate was (89.42%) positive for microscopic examination. The current study focused exclusively on infants under two years of age in terms of the spread of parasites between this age group using traditional methods and molecular methods together to give an accurate idea of parasite prevalence among the age group under study, It also addressed the risk factors that affect the spread of the parasite G. dudenale, because taking precautions to reduce the impact of a particular factor will be reflected positively to reduce the prevalence of the disease because of this parasite of a significant impact on the deterioration of the health and development of children.