Dientamoeba fragilis, a Commensal in Children in Danish Day Care Centers

• Published in: Journal of clinical microbiology 2017-06, Vol.55 (6), p.1707-1713
• Main Authors: Jokelainen, Pikka, Hebbelstrup Jensen, Betina, Andreassen, Bente Utoft, Petersen, Andreas Munk, Röser, Dennis, Krogfelt, Karen A, Nielsen, Henrik V, Stensvold, Christen R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child; Child Day Care Centers; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Denmark - epidemiology; Dientamoeba - isolation & purification; Dientamoebiasis - epidemiology; Feces - parasitology; Female; Humans; Infant; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Parasitology; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0095-1137; 1098-660X
• DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00037-17

is an intestinal protozoan of debated clinical significance. Here, we present cross-sectional and longitudinal observations on in children aged 0 to 6 years from a 1-year multi-day-care-center cohort study set in Copenhagen, Denmark. The inclusion period for the cohort was 2009 through 2012. Stool samples collected from the children were accompanied by questionnaires completed by the parents or guardians of the children. Using real-time PCR, was detected in the first stool sample from 97 of 142 (68.3%) children. We evaluated the associations between seven plausible risk factors (age, sex, having siblings, having domestic animals at home, having had infant colic, recent history of intake of antibiotics, and recent history of travel abroad) as well as six reported symptoms (lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weight loss, and diarrhea) and testing positive for The final multivariable model identified being >3 years old and having a history of recent travel abroad as risk factors for testing positive for Moreover, univariable analyses indicated that having siblings was a risk factor. There was no statistical association between a recent history of gastrointestinal symptoms and testing positive for Among the 108 children who were represented by ≥2 samples and thus included in the longitudinal analysis, 32 tested negative on the first sample and positive later, and the last sample from each of the 108 children was positive. The results are in support of being a common enteric commensal in this population.