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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
immunology and microbiology
Formative research on hygiene behaviors and geophagy among infants and young children and implications of exposure to fecal bacteria
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 89, No. 4, Year 2013
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Description
We conducted direct observation of 23 caregiver-infant pairs for 130 hours and recorded wash-related behaviors to identify pathways of fecal-oral transmission of bacteria among infants. In addition to testing fingers, food, and drinking water of infants, three infants actively ingested 11.3 ± 9.2 (mean ± SD) handfuls of soil and two ingested chicken feces 2 ± 1.4 times in 6 hours. Hand washing with soap was not common and drinking water was contaminated with Escherichia coli in half (12 of 22) of the households. A one-year-old infant ingesting 1 gram of chicken feces in a day and 20 grams of soil from a laundry area of the kitchen yard would consume 4,700,000-23,000,000 and 440-4,240 E. coli, respectively, from these sources. Besides standard wash and nutrition interventions, infants in low-income communities should be protected from exploratory ingestion of chicken feces, soil, and geophagia for optimal child health and growth. Copyright © 2013 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Authors & Co-Authors
Ngure, Francis Muigai
Unknown Affiliation
Humphrey, Jean H.
Unknown Affiliation
Mbuya, Mduduzi N.N.
Unknown Affiliation
Majo, Florence D.
Unknown Affiliation
Mutasa, Kuda E.
Unknown Affiliation
Govha, Margaret
Unknown Affiliation
Mazarura, Exevia
Unknown Affiliation
Chasekwa, Bernard
Unknown Affiliation
Prendergast, Andrew J.
Unknown Affiliation
Curtis, Val A.
Unknown Affiliation
Boor, Kathryn J.
Unknown Affiliation
Stoltzfus, Rebecca Joyce
Unknown Affiliation
Statistics
Citations: 227
Authors: 12
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.4269/ajtmh.12-0568
ISSN:
00029637
Research Areas
Environmental
Food Security
Health System And Policy
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Exploratory Study