The risk factors associated with Giardia infection, in children hospitalized in Havana, Cuba, were recently explored. Children aged >5 years were more likely to be positive for Giardia infection than the younger children, with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.41 [95% confidence interval (CI)51.36-9.69]. The risk factors found to be associated with Giardia infection in univariate analyses were rural residence (OR53.01; CI51.23-7.35), belonging to a household that did not receive water from an aqueduct (OR53.27; CI51.21-8.91), drinking unboiled water (OR53.64; CI52.14-6.26), nail biting (OR53.47; CI51.97-6.08), eating unwashed vegetables raw (OR54.84; CI52.33-10.14), and a personal (OR53.23; CI51.58-6.59) or family history (OR53.96; CI51.53-10.47) of previous parasitic infection. In multivariate analyses, however, only two (modifiable) risk factors were found to be independently and significantly associated with Giardia infection: nail biting and eating unwashed vegetables raw. It therefore seems that, at least at the individual level, giardiasis-prevention activities in Havana should be focussed on health education to improve personal hygiene and food-related practices. If appropriately managed, the surveillance of drinking water and foodstuffs, for Giardia and other parasites, might also help to reduce the hospitalization of Cuban children.

No abstract