Asymptomatic Leishmania Infected Children: A Seroprevalence and Molecular Survey in a Rural Area of Fars Province, Southern Iran

Table 1

Sociodemographic characteristics of children and relative seropositivity to L. infantum in Sar Mashhad district, Southern Iran.

Characteristics	Frequency; (number)	Percent (%)	Positive for anti-Leishmania antibodies		value
			Frequency; (number)	Percent (%)
Gender
Male	319	51.7	5	1.6	0.084
Female	298	48.3	12	4.0
Age group
1–4	180	29.4	5	2.8	0.753
5–8	183	29.9	7	3.8
9–12	182	29.7	4	2.2
>12	67	10.9	1	1.5
Residence area
Sar Mashhad	475	77.0	13	2.7	0.918
Tole Saman	93	15.1	3	3.2
Hossein Abad	49	7.9	1	2.0
Educational level
Illiterate	260	42.1	8	3.1	0.933
Elementary	342	55.4	9	2.6
Secondary level	14	2.3	0	0
High school	1	0.2	0	0
Presence of dogs in the household
Yes	383	62.1	10	2.6	0.803
No	234	37.9	7	3.0
Using bed net
Yes	508	82.3	14	2.8	1.00
No	109	17.7	3	2.7
of Kala-azar
Yes	86	13.9	2	2.3	1.00
No	531	86.1	15	2.8

on the claims of the subjects.