Mixed Giardia duodenalis assemblage A and E infections in calves.

A molecular epidemiological study was conducted on 100 dairy (499 calves) and 50 beef (333 calves) farms in Belgium to estimate the prevalence of different Giardia duodenalis assemblages in calves younger than 10 weeks of age. Positive samples from the epidemiological study and from a previous clinical study were selected and genotyped based on the amplification of the beta-giardin gene. To investigate the occurence of mixed assemblage A and E infections in calves, a novel assemblage-specific PCR was developed based on the triose-phosphate isomerase gene. The prevalence was 22% (95% Probability Interval (PI): 12-34%) in dairy calves and 45% (95% PI: 30-64%) in beef calves. In total, 120 Giardia-positive samples from dairy and beef calves collected in the epidemiological study and from clinically affected calves were identified based on the amplification of the beta-giardin gene. Overall G. duodenalis assemblage E was more prevalent (in 64% of the samples), although the majority (59%) of the dairy calves were infected with G. duodenalis assemblage A. Furthermore, mixed G. duodenalis assemblage A and E infections were identified in 31% of the calf samples (n=101) using the assemblage-specific PCR. We believe this is the first report of mixed infections in calves, and the results of the present study indicate that calves, although mainly infected with the host-specific G. duodenalis assemblage E, are frequently infected with the zoonotic assemblage A, either as a mixed or mono-infection, suggesting that calves might be underestimated as a potential zoonotic reservoir for human infections.

Use of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis for the identification of Giardia intestinalis subtypes and phylogenetic tree construction.

A comparison of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to investigate genetic polymorphisms among 25 isolates of Giardia intestinalis and to assess the utility of RAPD for subtype detection and genealogical analysis. Using data obtained for six human and 19 animal-derived isolates in polymerase chain reactions using 13 different primers, phylogenetic trees were constructed and bootstrap values computed by the program FreeTree. Three major clades were distinguished, corresponding to previously defined genetic assemblages A, B, and E. The purported specificity of assemblage E genotypes for artiodactyl hosts was supported. Assemblages A and B showed wide host spectra, including human and animal hosts. No correlation was found between the genotype of analyzed isolates and the presence or absence of the double-stranded RNA Giardiavirus. The results indicate that RAPD data provide reliable genetic information that can be used for both "fingerprinting" and genealogical purposes.

The histo-pathology of human giardiasis.

In giardiasis symptomatic group (I) the prevalence of diarrhoea was 5/7 (71.43%), 13/13 (100%) in Grade 0, I, II, III and IV pathology respectively which is statistically insignificant in comparison to each other (P > 0.05). The prevalence of abdominal pain is 71.43%, 73.33%, 95%, 91.67% and 100% in Grade 0, I, II, I & IV pathology respectively which is statistically insignificant to each other (P > 0.05). The prevalence of flatulence is 42.86%, 40%, 80%, 83.33% and 100% in Grade 0, I, II, III & IV pathology respectively, was statistically significant in comparison to each other (P < or = 0.05) So, the prevalence of flatulence is more frequent in patients with marked pathological changes in the duodenum. The prevalence of anorexia was 14.29%, 53.33%, 65%, 50% & 100% in Grade 0, I, II, III & IV pathology respectively, statistically significant in comparison to each other (P < or = 0.05). The prevalence of vomiting was 0%, 13.33%, 15%, 16.67 & 85.71% in Grade 0, I, II, III and IV pathology respectively, significant increased in Grade IV and absent in Grade 0 (P < or = 0.001).

Aspectos clínicos de la himenolepiasis en pediatría / Clinical aspects on hymenolepiasis in pediatrics

El presente estudio se realizó en 325 niños infectados con Hymenolepis nana, con el objeto de realizar un estudio clínico y de laboratorio de tipo integral. Los resultados mostraron que la himenolepiasis se encuentra entre las primeras cinco parasitosis intestinales en los niños escolares de la Ciudad de México, en la mayoría de los casos asociada a protozoos y otros helmintos, en especial con Giardia lamblia; generalmente la carga parasitaria es leve y sin embargo, la traducción clínica poco varía a pesar de ello. Las manifestaciones clínicas más importantes y constantes en los grupos de himenolepiasis pura y asociada son: dolor abdominal, hiporexia e irritabilidad. En cambio en las himenolepiasis en forma comparativa asociada a otras parasitosis con respecto a los casos donde no hay parásito intestinal, observamos que la pérdida de peso, meteorismo y flatulencia se presentan en las formas puras de himenolepiasis y en las asociaciones con G. lamblia; especialmente, la diarrea es una de las principales manifestaciones. Concluyendo, la himenolepiasis en nuestro medio es muy importante por su frecuencia en niños preescolares y escolares y tiene un cuadro clínico identificable en forma constante

Propuesta de clasificación de la repercusión intestinal de la giardiasis / Proposal for classification of intestinal reverberation in giardiasis

Se estudiaron 200 niños con diarreas crónicas y giardiasis diagnosticada por el estudio de las heces fecales y/o el contenido duodenal. A todos los pacientes se les realizó una D-xilosa en sangre y una biopsis de yeyuno. Se agruparon los pacientes de la siguiente forma: grupo 1: parasitismo por Giardia lamblia; grupo 2: enteropatía por Giardia lamblia; grupo 3: malabsorción por Giardia lamblia. Se determinó que las lesiones intestinales predominantes fueron la atrofia parcial y la atrofia subtotal de vellosidades. Se destaca que la importancia de esta clasificación estriba en que nos permite individualizar la forma clínica de giardiasis y nos orienta en cuanto a su repercusión nutricional, su pronóstico y a la posible persistencia de la diarrea y de una malabsorción de lactosa asociada