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

Citation
H. Astiazaran-garcia et al., Giardia lamblia: Effect of infection with symptomatic and asymptomatic isolates on the growth of gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), EXP PARASIT, 95(2), 2000, pp. 128-135
Citations number
34
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Microbiology
Journal title
EXPERIMENTAL PARASITOLOGY
ISSN journal
0014-4894 → ACNP
Volume
95
Issue
2
Year of publication
2000
Pages
128 - 135
Database
ISI
SICI code
0014-4894(200006)95:2<128:GLEOIW>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were intragastrically inoculated with axeni c Giardia lamblia cultures from symptomatic and asymptomatic children. All isolates were able to colonize the duodenum. However, the colonization capa city of the symptomatic isolates was significantly higher compared to that of the asymptomatic ones. Despite the different colonization capacity of th e isolates, the growth curves of infected animals were significantly lower than those of controls. The study demonstrates that acute giardia infection s are capable of altering the corporal development of the host. These resul ts may suggest that nut only symptomatic, but also asymptomatic giardiasis in children, often unnoticed by parents and clinicians, could be causing a silent detriment in their nutritional status. (C) 2000 Academic Press.