Table 3.
Comparisons between parasite burden and pica status at time of baseline interview among 2,367 pregnant women, Zanzibar, Tanzania*
| Geohelminth | Pica status | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No geophagy n = 929 | Geophagy n = 41 | No amylophagy n = 635 | Amylophagy n = 335 | No pica n = 620 | Any pica n = 350 | |
| Ascaris, % | 5.6 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 5.3 | 6.0 |
| Median intensity Ascaris, eggs/g (IQR)† | 2,052 (552–3,264) | 504 (72–936) | 1,752 (672–2,640) | 1,644 (372–4,764) | 1,752 (672–2,640) | 1,644 (372–4,764) |
| Trichuris, (%) | 33.2 | 34.2 | 31.7 | 36.1 | 31.8 | 35.7 |
| Median intensity Trichuris, eggs/g (IQR)† | 144 (72–384) | 180 (72–648) | 144 (72–288) | 168 (72–480) | 144 (72–288) | 168 (72–480) |
| Hookworm, % | 32.3 | 46.3 | 28.8 | 40.6‡ | 28.4 | 40.9§ |
| Median intensity hookworm, eggs/g (IQR)† | 360 (120–948) | 360 (144–1,536) | 312 (120–792) | 396 (120–1,176) | 312 (120–792) | 396 (120–1,176) |
| n = 2,243 | n = 96 | n = 1,648 | n = 691 | n = 1,615 | n = 724 | |
| Malaria, % | 6.8 | 6.3 | 7.0 | 6.2 | 7.1 | 6.1 |
*
IQR = interquartile range.
†
Intensity is calculated as eggs per gram of stool for infected women only. Significant differences are calculated by using the logged values of intensity, but untransformed values are listed for ease of interpretation.
‡
P < 0.05 versus no amylophagy group.
§
P < 0.05 versus no pica group.