Parasite Infection and Tuberculosis Disease among Children: A Case–Control Study

• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0425
• Publication Date: 2013-12-31T02:32:35Z
• Authors: Molly F. Franke; Hernán del Castillo; Ynés Pereda; Leonid Lecca; Jhoelma Fuertes; Luz Cárdenas; Mercedes C. Becerra; Jaime Bayona; Megan Murray
• Keywords: Giardiasis; Male; Protozoan Infections; Entamoebiasis; Endolimax; Amebiasis; Blastocystis Infections; 3. Good health; Entamoeba; 03 medical and health sciences; Logistic Models; 0302 clinical medicine; Risk Factors; Case-Control Studies; Child, Preschool; Multivariate Analysis; Peru; Humans; Tuberculosis; Blastocystis hominis; Female; Giardia lamblia; Child

We conducted a case–control study to examine associations between parasite infection, including protozoa infection, and tuberculosis (TB) in children in Lima, Peru. We enrolled 189 matched-pairs. In multivariable conditional logistic regression analyses, Blastocystis hominis infection (rate ratio = 0.30, 95% confidence interval = 0.14–0.64, P = 0.002) was strongly associated with a lower risk of TB. We observed a statistically significant inverse linear dose-response relationship between Blastocystis hominis infection and TB. These findings should be confirmed in future prospective studies.