Giardia lamblia: effect of infection with symptomatic and asymptomatic isolates on the growth of gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus).

Publisher: Academic Press Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0370713 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0014-4894 (Print) Linking ISSN: 00144894 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Exp Parasitol Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: Orlando, FL : Academic Press
Original Publication: New York.

Disease Models, Animal*; Carrier State/*physiopathology ; Gerbillinae/*parasitology ; Giardia lamblia/*physiology ; Giardiasis/*physiopathology ; Growth Disorders/*parasitology; Acute Disease ; Animals ; Carrier State/parasitology ; Child ; Duodenum/parasitology ; Duodenum/ultrastructure ; Gerbillinae/growth & development ; Giardia lamblia/ultrastructure ; Giardiasis/complications ; Giardiasis/parasitology ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Nutritional Status ; Weight Gain

Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were intragastrically inoculated with axenic Giardia lamblia cultures from symptomatic and asymptomatic children. All isolates were able to colonize the duodenum. However, the colonization capacity of the symptomatic isolates was significantly higher compared to that of the asymptomatic ones. Despite the different colonization capacity of the isolates, the growth curves of infected animals were significantly lower than those of controls. The study demonstrates that acute giardia infections are capable of altering the corporal development of the host. These results may suggest that not only symptomatic, but also asymptomatic giardiasis in children, often unnoticed by parents and clinicians, could be causing a silent detriment in their nutritional status.
(Copyright 2000 Academic Press.)

Date Created: 20000727 Date Completed: 20000824 Latest Revision: 20061115

20231215

10.1006/expr.2000.4514

10910714