Risk factors for the initial symptomatic giardia infection in a cohort of young Arab-Bedouin children

Abstract

Giardiasis is an important cause of diarrhoea in Bedouin children. Increased risk of SG in spring/summer might be linked to environmental conditions or seasonal dietary practices which increase virulence or transmission. SG in those exposed to livestock suggests that there are zoonotic risk factors or that hygiene is a causal factor. The association between EAEC infection and SG warrants further investigation.