Reducing occurrence of Giardia duodenalis in children living in semiarid regions: impact of a large scale rainwater harvesting initiative.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Brazil, about two million people living in rural semiarid regions were benefited with the construction of rainwater cement cisterns, as an initiative from the program "One Million Cisterns" (P1MC). Nevertheless, few epidemiological studies have been conducted to assess health risks or protection effects associated with consumption of this water source. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether access to rainwater harvesting cisterns is associated with the decrease in the occurrence of Giardia duodenalis infections in children, compared to other children living in households supplied by other water sources.

Methodology/principal findings

A quasi-experimental study with two concurrent cohorts was developed in two rural municipalities of the semiarid region of

SUBMITTER: Fonseca JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4063750 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature