Table 2.
Demographic data, clinical presentation, and investigation results.
| Variable | Seronegative (n = 156) Number (%) |
Seropositive (n = 30) Number (%) |
p Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Age | 6 years 1 month | 6 years 7 months | p = 0.55 |
| Male Gender | 91 (58.3%) | 22 (73.3%) | p = 0.12 |
| Remote | 109 (69.9%) | 27 (90.0%) | p = 0.02 |
| Indigenous | 149 (95.5%) | 30 (100%) | p = 0.24 |
| Mean serology | N/A | Optic density = 0.84 ± 1.54 | |
| Stool pathogens | 17 (36.2%), n = 47 | 5 (62.5%), n = 8 | p = 0.16 |
| Haemoglobin | 117.63 ± 25.92 g/L | 116.77 ± 27.22 g/L | p = 0.74 |
| Mean corpuscular volume | 76.578 ± 10.18 fL | 76.66 ± 7.72 fL | p = 0.93 |
| Mean eosinophil count * | 0.96 × 109/L ± 2.13 × 109/L (Range 0.5 × 109/L to 5.3 × 109/L) | 1.83 × 109/L ± 1.32 × 109/L (Range 0.6 × 109/L to 4.8 × 109/L) | p < 0.0001 |
| Gastrointestinal symptoms | 40 (25.6%) | 9 (30%) | p = 0.62 |
| Respiratory symptoms | 42 (26.9%) | 7 (23.3%) | p = 0.68 |
| Blood stream infection | 4 (2.6%) | 0 (0%) | p = 0.37 |
| Growth faltering | 25 (16%) | 3 (10%) | p = 0.4 |
| HTLV-1 seroprevalence | 0/10 (0%) | 0/2 (0%) |
* Mean eosinophil count in patients tested for unexplained eosinophilia of ≥0.5 × 109/L (seropositive group n = 29, seronegative group n = 142).