INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTION IN EGYPTIAN CHILDREN: COULD IT BE A RISK FACTOR FOR IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA?

A case control study that associates IDA with different parasitic infections and socioeconomic factors. The study enrolled 194 children with IDA and 180 age matched control. Patients diagnosed as IDA by complete blood count (CBC), and iron indices. All cases were subjected to complete history, anthropometric measures, and CBC and stool analysis. Ancylostoma duodenal, Ascaris lumbercoides and Giardia lamblia infections, lower family income, increased number of family members and eating meat in low frequency could be independent risk factors for IDA as detected by multivariate regression analysis. A. duodenale and G. lamblia were associated with lower ferritin levels in anemic patients. No significant associations as regards residence, body mass index, mother employment or education levels (p>0.05).