POPLINE Document Number: 079229
Author(s):
Torres AL
Viaro T
Kallas MR
Trabulsi LR
Fagundes Neto U
Source citation:
REVISTA PAULISTA DE MEDICINA, 1991 Nov-Dec;109(6):273-7.
Abstract:
In this study the authors report the high rate of environmental contamination to which children living in slum areas are exposed. The authors performed a bacteriologic and parasitologic survey in children with acute diarrhea and in controls. Feeding habits were also recorded. The feeding habits revealed that 176 out of 520 children (33.8%) were never breastfed, whereas the remaining 344 (66.7%) were breastfed for an average of 2.2 months. The parasitologic survey was positive in 89% of the stool samples obtained from 83 children, mostly with multiple infections. The bacteriologic survey revealed the presence of enteropathogens and, in particular, invasive E. coli and Campylobacter in 46.7% of the children with acute diarrhea and in 32.5% of the children in the control group. These findings allow the authors to state that environmental conditions of slum areas directly predispose to the appearance of the diarrhea-malnutrition binomial. (author's) (summaries in POR, ENG)
Keywords:
BrazilIndex page
Breastfeeding
Environment
Slums
Malnutrition
Diarrhea, Infantile
Infant Nutrition
Child Health
Developing Countries
South America, Eastern
South America
Latin America
Americas
Nutrition
Health
Urbanization
Urban Population Distribution
Population Distribution
Geographic Factors
Population
Nutrition Disorders
Diseases
Diarrhea