Relationship between the rate of giardiasis and knowledge and practice of prevention in primary school children in south of Tehran.

In this study, 420 children (aged 9-12 years) were selected from two female primary schools in south Tehran and examined for parasite infection. The infection rate for Giardia was 18.1% (76 children) in both schools. The case group included 30 children that were selected from the school no. 1 with Giardia infection. The same number of children from the school no. 2 with Giardia infection was selected as the control group. After being treated by a pediatrician and cured of Giardia, all children in both groups were checked for parasitic infection. The case group and their mothers were separately covered by the health education programs for 3 months, whereas the control group was not covered. The,n both groups were checked three times for Giardia infection. The rate increased to 23.3% in the case group and 86.7% in the control group, showing a significant difference between two groups (p < 0.05).