Alss. Deandrade et F. Zicker, CHRONIC MALNUTRITION AND TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI INFECTION IN CHILDREN, Journal of tropical pediatrics, 41(2), 1995, pp. 112-115
The distribution of T. cruzi infection overlaps regions with high prev
alence of child malnutrition, We examined the possible association bet
ween T. cruzi infection and chronic malnutrition. In a cross-sectional
survey conducted among 1900 7-12 year-old schoolchildren in 60 villag
e schools in central Brazil, anthropometric measurements (NCHS) taken
from 153 children with at least two positive serological tests for ant
ibodies against T. cruzi (IIF, ELISA, IHA) were compared to two age an
d sea seronegative matched classmates. Information on children's medic
al history and socio-economic status (SES) were collected from parents
of the participants. Seropositive children had a 2.3-fold risk (95% C
I 1.4-4.0) of being stunted (z-score < -2.0 of height-for-age) when co
mpared to uninfected children even after adjusting for confounding var
iables, Being underweight (z-score < -2.0 of weight-for-age) was also
statistically associated with seropositivity to T. cruzi (OR = 2.8, 95
% CI 1.4-5.6). No statistical evidence of multiplicative interaction b
etween nutritional status and SES was detected, Further studies on nut
rition and metabolism are required to look into a possible physiopatho
logical mechanism for this association.