Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections among Children in Europe over the Last Five Years

Abstract

While the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPI) has been most commonly studied in African and Asian populations, less is known about the prevalence rates of IPI in European children, as well as the potential risk factors that favor the spread of parasites. We aimed to review published evidence on the prevalence rates of IPI in children residing in Europe, and to quantitatively synthesize the results of published studies. We searched Medline from 1 January 2015 to 1 April 2021 to address the most recently published prevalence patterns of IPI in European children. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed by type of IPI infection, age group and sex, depending on data availability. Of the 967 potentially relevant articles, eight eligible cross-sectional studies were included in this analysis, yielding a sample of 3376 children (0-19 years). The overall prevalence rate was 5.9% for any IPI in children residing in European countries. Blastocystis hominis was the most commonly detected parasite yielding a prevalence rate of 10.7%. Other parasites included Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana, and Blastocystis hominis. Studies focusing on specific types of parasites showed prevalence rates ranging from 1.3% for Cryptosporidium to 68.3% for Dientamoeba fragilis. Despite the scarce literature, the present review showed relatively low prevalence rates of IPI in Europe. Future studies accounting for proper diagnostic methods used for the detection of parasites and including information on potential sociodemographic factors, such as travelling history and history of immigration, are needed to guide clinicians about which children to test, as well as when and how to test children for IPI.

Keywords: Blastocystis; Europe; children; intestinal parasitic infections; meta-analysis; prevalence.

Figure 1

Flow chart of the literature search process.

Figure 2

Forest plot of the summary prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in children residing in Europe (2015–2021). Prevalence ratios of individual studies are indicated by the data markers; shaded boxes around data markers reflect the statistical weight of the study; 95% confidence intervals (CI) are indicated by the error bars; summary-effect estimates with their 95% CI are depicted as a diamond.

Figure 3

Forest plot of the summary prevalence of Blastocystis hominis infections in children residing in Europe (2015–2021). Prevalence ratios of individual studies are indicated by the data markers; shaded boxes around data markers reflect the statistical weight of the study; 95% confidence intervals (CI) are indicated by the error bars; summary-effect estimates with their 95% CI are depicted as a diamond.