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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2001 Sep 1;92(5):361–365. doi: 10.1007/BF03404980

A Descriptive Analysis of Giardiasis Cases Reported in Ontario, 1990–1998

Judy D Greig 110,210,✉, Pascal Michel 110,210, Jeff B Wilson 110,210, Anna M Lammerding 210, Shannon E Majowicz 210, Julie Stratton 210,310, Jeffery J Aramini 110,210, Rob K Meyers 210, Dean Middleton 410, Scott A McEwen 110
PMCID: PMC6979754  PMID: 11702490

Abstract

Cases of giardiasis in Ontario were described using notifiable disease data from the Ontario Ministry of Health for the years 1990–1998 inclusive. The mean annual age-and sex-adjusted incidence rate was 25.77 cases per 100,000 population for the 25,289 cases reported. Children under five years of age had the highest incidence of disease. Males had a higher mean annual incidence in all age groups. Four deaths occurred among cases. The most frequently reported symptoms were loose stools or watery diarrhea (50.1%). A seasonal pattern was noted, peaking in late summer and early autumn. The most frequently reported probable risk settings were the home (40.1%) and travel (39.1%). The study findings suggest that a high proportion of cases occur in urban areas and spatial analysis showed the highest incidence around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Unfiltered water and person-to-person contact are believed to be important sources of infection.

Footnotes

Funding for this project was provided by Health Canada

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