Botswana
Case-Control Study to Determine Risk Factors for Diarrhea Among Children During a Large Outbreak in a Country with a High Prevalence of HIV Infection
Source:
- Arvelo A et al. 2010. Int J Infect Dis November 2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Countries:
- Botswana
Summary:
- Between January and March 2006, over 35,000 diarrhea cases and 532 deaths were reported among children under the age of five in Botswana. During this diarrhea outbreak, in a country with a national program to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, ill children were less likely to be breastfed and more likely to have been exposed to environmental factors associated with fecal contamination. These findings underscore the importance of adequate access to safe water, sanitation, hygiene, and nutrition education among populations using breast milk substitutes.