Cryptosporidium infection in infancy as a cause of malnutrition: a community study from Guinea-Bissau, west Africa

Abstract

Cryptosporidium parvum causes persistent diarrhea in young children in developing countries. To determine the interaction between nutritional status and cryptosporidiosis, an open cohort of 1064 children younger than 3 y of age was followed for 1441 child-years by weekly diarrhea recall visits. A total of 5072 weight and 4264 height measurements was made. There were no tendencies of low weight (P = 0.38) or height (P = 0.16) in children who acquired cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis in infancy was accompanied by an estimated weight loss of 392 g (95% CI: 247, 538 g) in boys and 294 g (95% CI: 109, 479 g) in girls, corresponding to 3.7% and 2.9% of mean weight, respectively, at 2 y of age. No significant catch-up growth covered for this loss in weight. A similar effect in linear growth was shown (P = 0.02). Although it has been suggested that the effect of infections on nutrition is usually transient because of catch-up growth, the present study suggests that cryptosporidiosis in infancy has a permanent effect on growth.