Mouthing of Soil Contaminated Objects is Associated with Environmental Enteropathy in Young Children

• DOI: 10.1111/tmi.12869
• Publication Date: 2017-03-20T15:02:42Z
• Authors: Tomohiko Morita; Jamie Perin; Lauren Oldja; Shwapon Biswas; R. Bradley Sack; Shahnawaz Ahmed; Rashidul Haque; Nurul Amin Bhuiyan; Tahmina Parvin; Sazzadul Islam Bh...; Mahmuda Akter; Kaisar A. Talukder; Mohammad Shahnaij; Abu G. Faruque; Christine Marie G...
• Keywords: Faecal calprotectin

Abstract Objective To characterise childhood mouthing behaviours and to investigate the association between object‐to‐mouth food‐to‐mouth contacts, diarrhoea prevalence environmental enteropathy. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted of 216 children ≤30 months age in rural Bangladesh. Mouthing contacts with soil food objects visible were assessed by 5‐h structured observation. Stool analysed for four faecal markers intestinal inflammation: alpha‐1‐antitrypsin, myeloperoxidase, neopterin calprotectin. Results Overall 82% observed soil, or during observation period. Sixty two percent 63% 18% only. Children had significantly elevated calprotectin concentrations (206.81 μg/g, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 6.27, 407.36). There also a marginally significant Escherichia coli counts from child's play space rate (diarrhoea ratio: 2.03, 0.97, 4.25). Conclusion These findings provide further evidence support hypothesis that behaviour environments contamination can lead enteropathy susceptible paediatric populations. Furthermore, these suggest young which occurred more frequently than directly (60% vs. 18%), an important exposure route pathogens risk factor