12 months post intervention

For this study, baseline enrolment began in February 2015 and the completion of baseline data collection in February 2016. 538 children from control compounds and 447 children from intervention compounds were enrolled.

The study took place between March 2016 and April 2017. Intervention compounds were visited 12 months after they began using their newly constructed latrine. Matched control compounds were also visited 12 months after baseline enrolment.

The combined prevalence of non-STH, non viral enteric infections was 84% in the intervention arm and 88% in the control arm at baseline. The most frequently detected generic pathogens were Giardia (52%), Stigella (45%), ETEC (31%), and Salmonella (20%). The prevalence of enteric pathogens increased with child age as did the prevalence of enteric pathogen co-infection. The prevalence of enteric viral infection decreased with increasing age.

The results showed an overall primary outcome prevalence of 87% and 90% in intervention and control arms. Similar to baseline results, Giardia, Shigella, ETECC and Salmonella were the most frequently detected pathogens among intervention and controlled children. The prevalence of coinfection remained high, 68% of intervention and 65% of control children were infected with two or more enteric pathogens.

No evidence was found that the intervention had an effect on the prevalence of any bacterial or protozoan infection or any STH re-infection 12 months after the implementation despite household respondents reporting almost exclusive use of the intervention latrine (97%). The intervention had no meaningful effect at 12 months on the prevalence of infection with any of the three pathogen types measured by the GPP (bacterial, protozoan, viral) pathogen coinfection, or any individual pathogen.

Intervention effects among children born into the study were not observed in the 12 month visit.