PREVALENCE OF GIARDIASIS AMONG PRIMARY-SCHOOL CHILDREN

This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among primary school children in Northern Jor dan. Stool specimens were collected from 1100 children of both sexes f rom urban and rural schools. A questionnaire covering relevant informa tions was completed for each child. Wet mount preparation, formaline-e ther concentration technique, and trichrome stain were prepared for th e recovery and identification of parasites. Giardia lamblia was observ ed in 396 (36%) of the stool specimens examined. The infection rates w ere higher in the younger age group where several of them had diarrhoe a and reported variable symptoms. The infection rates declined with ag e and children were asymptomatic. Rates were higher in children from t he rural areas, from low income families, and it was higher in boys th an girls. Contaminated drinking water is suspected to be the major pot ential source of infection. The importance of the asymptomatic cases a nd the epidemiological factors contributing to the transmission in the se areas are discussed.