Post epidemic giardiasis and gastrointestinal symptoms among preschool children in Bergen, Norway. A cross-sectional study

Table 4 Symptoms and clinical characteristic for children exposed and unexposed to Giardia-contaminated water, Bergen, Norway 2005

	n	Exposed	n	Unexposed	P-value
Giardiasis in the family, n (%)	366	54 (17.3)	135	3 (2.2)	<0.001^F
Child treated for giardiasis, n (%)	374	11 (3.0)	130	0 (0.0)	0.07 ^F
Going to day care, n (%)	377	294 (78.4)	132	98 (74.2)	0.34 ^F
Siblings in day care, n (%)	371	117 (46.1)	131	46 (35.1)	0.45 ^F
Contacted/treated by doctor for gastrointestinal symptoms, n (%)	360	41 (11.4)	131	9 (6.9)	0.18 ^F
Drinking water, glass (mean ± SE)	376	2.95 ± 0.08	132	2.83 ± 0.13	0.46 ^W
Drinking milk, glass (mean ± SE)	375	2.10 ± 0.07	133	1.96 ± 0.10	0.36 ^W
GI-tract symptoms ¹ (mean ± SE)
Abdominal pain	372	1.42 ± 0.03	132	1.35 ± 0.05	0.32 ^W
Nausea	370	1.18 ± 0.02	132	1.16 ± 0.04	0.46 ^W
Vomiting	376	1.19 ± 0.02	132	1.17 ± 0.04	0.36 ^W
Diarrhoea	377	1.62 ± 0.03	131	1.47 ± 0.05	0.02 ^W
Different odour from stools	369	1.25 ± 0.03	130	1.17 ± 0.04	0.16 ^W
Flatulence	372	1.68 ± 0.04	132	1.53 ± 0.06	0.03 ^W
Eructation	371	1.35 ± 0.03	132	1.30 ± 0.04	0.41 ^W

¹ values from the questionnaire 1 = seldom/unaswered
2 = sometimes 3 = often
F = Fishers exact test (2-sided)
P = Pearson chi-square test(2-sided)
W = Wilcoxon- Mann-Whitney test
SE = Standard error
Symptoms and clinical characteristics for 513 children aged 1-5 years classified as exposed and unexposed to Giardia-contaminated drinking water according to self report on a mailed questionnaire in the City of Bergen, Norway 2005.

ISSN: 1471-2458