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While  Giardia duodenalis  infection has been consistently associated with nutrient malabsorption and stunting in children, the effects of other protozoans on nutritional status or gastrointestinal morbidity are less clear. We sought to determine whether infection with common intestinal protozoans including  Giardia duodenalis ,  Entamoeba coli  and  Blastocystis hominis  was associated with anthropometric and micronutrient status, gastrointestinal symptoms, visits to the doctor or school absenteeism in children 5–12 years of age from Bogotá, Colombia. We obtained stool samples from 442 children enrolled in primary schools in 2006 and examined the presence of intestinal protozoans in relation to height, body mass index, plasma concentrations of vitamins A and B12, ferritin and zinc and erythrocyte folate. In addition, we examined the associations between protozoan infections and the incidence of common gastrointestinal symptoms, which were registered prospectively in morbidity diaries. The prevalence rates of  G. duodenalis ,  E. coli  and  B. hominis  infection were 6.3, 23.1 and 22.4%, respectively.  Giardia  infection was associated with lower height-for-age  z -score ( p  = 0.04), whereas  E. coli  infection was associated with low erythrocyte folate ( p  = 0.04), and  B. hominis  infection was related to higher vitamin A levels ( p  = 0.05). Infection with  E. coli  was also associated with a significantly higher incidence of fever but fewer visits to the doctor, while  B. hominis  infection was associated with significantly less diarrhea, diarrhea with vomiting, doctor visits and school absenteeism. In conclusion,  G. duodenalis  and  E. coli  infections were associated with indicators of poor nutritional status in this population, while  B. hominis  was related to apparently decreased morbidity.

Intestinal Protozoan Infections in Relation to Nutritional Status and Gastrointestinal Morbidity in Colombian School Children