ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2024
Asymptomatic carriage of intestinal protists is common in children in Lusaka Province, Zambia.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
17 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPCR-based screenings on the presence of diarrhoea-causing intestinal protist species are limited in Zambia, resulting in inaccurate current prevalence and epidemiological data. Sensitive PCR-based methods are particularly well suited for detecting subclinical infections in apparently healthy carriers. METHODOLOGY: In this prospective cross-sectional study, we investigated the occurrence of the most common intestinal protists in an apparently healthy paediatric population (5-18 years) in Lusaka Province, Zambia. We collected single stool samples (n = 256) and epidemiological questionnaires on demographics, behavioural habits, drinking water and toilet access from participating children. We used PCR for the initial screening of samples for the presence of intestinal protist species and Sanger and next-generation sequencing for genotyping. We conducted statistical analyses to assess the association of the gathered variables with an increased likelihood of the investigated pathogens. PRINCIPAL
findingsBlastocystis sp. was the most prevalent intestinal protist found (37.9%, 97/256; 95% CI: 31.9-44.1), followed by Giardia duodenalis (30.9%, 79/256; 95% CI: 25.3-36.90), Entamoeba dispar (13.3%, 34/256; 95% CI: 9.4-18.1), and Cryptosporidium spp. (4.3%, 11/256, 95% CI: 2.2-7.6). Entamoeba histolytica was not detected. Based on Sanger sequencing results, subtypes ST2 (44.3%, 43/97), ST1 (35.1%, 34/97), and ST3 (20.6%, 20/97) were identified within Blastocystis sp. and assemblages B (71.0%), A+B (16.1%), and A (12.9%) within G. duodenalis. Cryptosporidium parvum (81.8%) and C. hominis (18.2%) were the only two Cryptosporidium species found. Living in the Kafue District was positively associated with higher infection rates by G. duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. Schoolchildren living in Chongwe District were more likely to be infected by Cryptosporidium spp. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Intestinal protist infection/colonization is a common finding in apparently healthy children in Lusaka Province, Zambia. Asymptomatic carriers may play an underestimated role as spreaders of gastrointestinal parasitic infections. This study improves our current understanding of the epidemiology of diarrhoea-causing protists in Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa and indicates that the role of asymptomatic carriers of gastrointestinal parasites in transmission should be further explored.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.