Study of some trace elements in children suffering from intestinal amebiasis before and after treatment with ornidazole

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present work was to study the serum levels of iron, copper and zinc in Egyptian children suffering from intestinal amebiasis before and after treatment with ornidazole. The study was conducted on 20 children [13 females and 7 males] suffering from acute amebic dysentery admitted to Alexandria University Children's Hospital. Their ages ranged from 3 to 6 years with a mean of 4.4 years. Ten apparently healthy children of matched age and sex were taken as controls. Beside detailed history and clinical examination, laboratory investigations were done to prove amebic infection and to estimate the levels of serum iron, copper and zinc in controls and in patients with acute amebic dysentery on admission and 3 weeks after the end of treatment with ornidazole in a dose of 20 mg/kg/day for 5 days. The results showed that serum iron, copper and zinc were low during amebic infection, this could be one of the protective mechanisms of the human body against the E-histolytica. These levels returned back the human body against the E-histolytica. These levels returned back to normal after treatment except copper which may need a longer time to return to its normal level