Random fecal alpha-1-antitrypsin excretion in children with parasitic infections

Random fecal alpha-1-antitrypsin [FA-1-AT] was used as marker of endogenous protein loss in 50 patients with parasitic infections and 20 healthy controls using the radial immunodiffusion technique. Significant loss occurred in all the parasitic cases. mean FA-1-AT was 0.7 [0.2] as compared to 0.2 [0.1] of that of the control group. This assay is non invasive and has been shown to correlate with the fecal excretion of 51-cr-albumin, a more expensive test and requiring the use of radio isotopes. Further studies are needed to determine the effect of intestinal helminthic parasites on endogenous protein loss and its contribution to the development of malnutrition in a population where round worm infections are common