Prospective cohort study of child mouthing of faeces and fomites in Dhaka, Bangladesh (CHoBI7 Program).

OBJECTIVE: To characterise childhood mouthing and handling behaviours and to assess the association between hand-to-object and object-to-mouth contacts and diarrhoea prevalence in young children in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 494 children under 5 years of age in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study was nested within the randomised controlled trial of the Cholera Hospital-Based Intervention for 7 Days (CHoBI7) mobile health (mHealth) program. The CHoBI7 mHealth program focuses on promoting handwashing with soap and water treatment to diarrhoea patients and their household members through mobile messages and a single in person visit. Mouthing and handling of faeces and fomites among young children was measured by five-hour structured observation and caregiver reports. Diarrhoea surveillance data was collected monthly for 12 months. RESULTS: Fifty five percent of caregivers reported that their child put a visibly dirty fomite (object or soil) in their mouth in the past week. Caregivers reported that 50% of children had mouthed visibly dirty objects, 26% had mouthed dirt, and 2% had mouthed faeces. Forty five percent of children were observed mouthing a visibly dirty fomite during structured observation, 40% of children were observed mouthing a visibly dirty object, 10% were observed mouthing soil, and one child (0.2%) was observed mouthing faeces. Mouthing of visibly dirty fomites was highest for children 12-18 months of age with 69% of these children having caregiver reports and 54% having observed events. Children with caregiver reports of mouthing faeces had a significantly higher odds of diarrhoea over the subsequent month (Odds Ratio: 4.54; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.06, 19.48). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that mouthing of contaminated fomites among young children is frequent in urban environments in Bangladesh, and that mouthing faeces is associated with a significantly higher odds of diarrhoea. Interventions are urgently needed to protect young children from faecal pathogens in their play spaces.

OBJECTIF: Caractériser les comportements de mâchouillement et de manipulation par les enfants et évaluer l'association entre les contacts main-objet et objet-bouche et la prévalence de la diarrhée chez les jeunes enfants dans la ville de Dhaka, au Bangladesh. MÉTHODES: Une étude de cohorte prospective a été menée auprès de 494 enfants de moins de 5 ans à Dhaka, au Bangladesh. Cette étude s'inscrivait dans le cadre de l'essai contrôlé randomisé du programme CHoBI7 (Cholera-Hospital-Based-Intervention-for-7-days) de santé mobile (mHealth. Le programme de santé mobile CHoBI7 se concentre sur la promotion du traitement de l'eau et du lavage des mains avec à l'eau et au savon aux patients atteints de diarrhée et aux membres de leur foyer par le biais de messages mobiles et de visites de face à face. Le mâchouillement et la manipulation des excréments et des fomites chez les jeunes enfants ont été mesurés par des observations structurées de cinq heures et par les rapports des personnes s'occupant d'enfants (soignants). Les données de surveillance de la diarrhée ont été recueillies chaque mois pendant 12 mois. RÉSULTATS: 55% des soignants ont déclaré que leur enfant avait mis un fomite visiblement sale (objet ou terre) dans sa bouche au cours de la semaine précédente. Les soignants ont indiqué que 50% des enfants avaient mâchouillé des objets visiblement sales, 26% avaient mâchouillé de la terre et 2% avaient mâchouillé des excréments. 45% des enfants ont été observés en train de mâchouiller un fomite visiblement sale au cours d'une observation structurée. 40% des enfants ont été observés en train de mâchouiller un objet, 10% ont été observés en train de mâchouiller de la terre et un enfant (0,2%) a été observé en train de mâchouiller des excréments. Le mâchouillement de fomites visiblement sales était le plus fréquent chez les enfants de 12 à 18 mois; 69% de ces enfants ont été signalés par les soignants et 54% ont été observés en train de le faire. Les enfants dont les soignants avaient signalé un mâchouillement d'excréments présentaient un risque de diarrhée nettement plus élevé au cours du mois suivant (rapport de cotes: 4,54; intervalle de confiance à 95%: 1,06-19,48). CONCLUSION: Ces résultats démontrent que le fait de mâchouiller des fomites contaminés chez les jeunes enfants est fréquent en milieu urbain au Bangladesh et que le fait de mâchouiller des excréments est associé à un risque de diarrhée nettement plus élevé. Des interventions sont urgemment nécessaires pour protéger les jeunes enfants des agents pathogènes fécaux dans leurs espaces de jeu.

Household Bird Ownership is Associated with Respiratory Illness among Young Children in Urban Bangladesh (CHoBI7 Program).

There is limited evidence on the association between animal ownership and respiratory illness among young children in low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we examined the association between animal ownership and respiratory illness among children younger than 5 years of age enrolled in a prospective cohort study in urban Bangladesh. This prospective cohort study enrolled 884 participants younger than 5 years of age in Dhaka, Bangladesh. At baseline, trained research assistants administered caregivers of children younger than 5 years of age a questionnaire on household animal ownership. Animal ownership was defined as owning chickens, birds other than chickens, cats, and dogs. Respiratory surveillance was conducted monthly for children based on caregiver-reported coughing, rapid breathing, and difficulty breathing in the past 2 weeks during the 12-month study period. At baseline, 48% of children (424 of 884) had reports of coughing, 5% (40 of 884) had difficulty breathing, 3% (25 of 884) had rapid breathing, and 49% (431 of 884) had reports of any of these three respiratory symptoms. Seventeen percent of children (151 of 884) resided in a household that owned an animal. Children residing in households reporting bird ownership had a significantly greater odds of coughing (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.28) and any of the three respiratory symptoms in the past 2 weeks (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.28). Household bird ownership was associated with respiratory illness in young children. These findings suggest that interventions aiming to reduce young children's exposure to domestic animals should extend to include birds other than chickens.

Fecal Contamination on the Household Compound and in Water Sources are Associated with Subsequent Diarrhea in Young Children in Urban Bangladesh (CHoBI7 Program).

We investigated the environmental and individual-level risk factors for diarrheal disease among young children in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. A prospective cohort study was conducted among 884 children under 5 years of age. Caregiver reports were collected on sociodemographic factors and hygiene behaviors. Diarrhea surveillance data was collected monthly based on caregiver-reported diarrhea for children in the past 2 weeks during the 12-month study period. Unannounced spot checks of the household compound were performed at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after enrollment to check for the presence of feces (animal or human) and the presence of animals in the child's sleeping space, to assess child and caregiver hands for the presence of dirt, and to collect samples of the household's source and stored drinking water. Children with feces found on the household compound during spot checks had a significantly higher odds of diarrhea (odds ratio: 1.71; 95% confidence interval: 1.23-2.38). Children residing in households with > 100 colony forming units/100 mL Escherichia coli in source drinking water had a significantly higher odds of diarrhea (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.06-1.92). The presence of feces on the household compound and source drinking water with > 100 colony forming units/100 mL E. coli were significant risk factors for diarrheal disease for children < 5 years of age in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. These findings demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to reduce fecal contamination on the household compound to protect the health of susceptible pediatric populations.