Parasite mean infection intensities and infection intensity categories and association of infection intensity with sex and age group.

Parasite infection intensities stem from a national survey conducted in Côte d'Ivoire between November 2011 and February 2012. Children from 92 different survey locations were parasitologically tested. Infection intensity defined as the number of eggs per 1 g of stool (EPG) in the case of helminths infections and the number of parasites per μl of blood in the case of Plasmodium. Helminth infection intensity categories were defined according to World Health Organization guidelines [23] whereas cut-offs for Plasmodium parasitemia were applied according to previous studies conducted in the country [24]; both are reported as percentage of all positive cases of the respective parasite infection. Associations were assessed by negative binomial regression models on parasite counts, accounting for cluster effects at school unit. Statistically significant (pN = number of children.IRR = incidence rate ratio.CI = confidence interval.