Table 1. Results of the univariate analyses of the potential risk factors for Giardia infection, based on data from 351 paediatric in-patients (94 of whom had Giardia infections).
| No. and (%) of children with characteristic who were: | ||||
| Characteristic | Investigated | Giardia-positive | Giardia-negative | Odds ratio and (95% confidence interval) |
| age (years) | ||||
| <1 | 51 | 7 (13.7) | 44 (86.2) | Reference |
| 1–4 | 175 | 43 (24.6) | 132 (75.4) | 2.05 (0.83–5.77) |
| ⩾5 | 125 | 44 (35.2) | 81 (64.8) | 3.41 (1.36–9.69) |
| gender | ||||
| Male | 210 | 52 (24.8) | 158 (75.2) | 1.29 (0.78–2.14) |
| Female | 141 | 42 (29.8) | 99 (70.2) | |
| educational centre attended | ||||
| Day-care centre | 143 | 38 (26.6) | 105 (73.4) | Reference |
| Primary school | 86 | 29 (33.7) | 57 (66.3) | 1.41 (0.75–2.61) |
| Secondary school | 29 | 11 (37.9) | 18 (62.1) | 1.69 (0.66–4.17) |
| residence | ||||
| Rural | 26 | 13 (50.0) | 13 (50.0) | 3.01 (1.23–7.35)* |
| Urban | 325 | 81 (24.9) | 244 (75.1) | |
| source of water | ||||
| Non-aqueduct | 21 | 11 (52.4) | 10 (47.6) | 3.27 (1.21–8.91)* |
| Aqueduct | 330 | 83 (25.2) | 247 (74.8) | |
| faecal disposal | ||||
| Latrine in house | 19 | 9 (47.4) | 10 (52.6) | 2.62 (0.90–7.41) |
| Toilet | 332 | 85 (25.6) | 247 (74.4) | |
| drinks unboiled tap water | ||||
| Yes | 163 | 65 (39.9) | 98 (60.1) | 3.64 (2.14–6.26)* |
| No | 188 | 29 (15.4) | 159 (84.6) | |
| bites nails | ||||
| Yes | 80 | 38 (47.5) | 42 (52.5) | 3.47 (1.97–6.08)* |
| No | 271 | 56 (20.7) | 215 (79.3) | |
| eats unwashed vegetables raw | ||||
| Yes | 41 | 24 (58.5) | 17 (41.5) | 4.84 (2.33–10.14)* |
| No | 310 | 70 (22.6) | 240 (77.4) | |
| personal history of previous parasitic infection | ||||
| Yes | 42 | 21 (50.0) | 21 (50.0) | 3.23 (1.58–6.59)* |
| No | 309 | 73 (23.6) | 236 (76.4) | |
| family history of previous parasitic infection | ||||
| Yes | 23 | 13 (56.5) | 10 (43.5) | 3.96 (1.53–10.47)* |
| No | 328 | 81 (24.7) | 247 (75.3) | |
*Statistically significant (P<0.05).