Copro-antigen versus classical microscopy as diagnostic tool for giardia lamblia infection in Egyptian patients

ABSTRACT

Background: Giardia lamblia, a flagellate protozoa, is a one of the most common causes of non-viral [parasitic] diarrheal illness in humans. Laboratory diagnosis mainly consists of direct microscopic examination of stool specimen for trophozoites and cysts. However, due to intermittent fecal excretion of the parasite, the patient may be misdiagnosed, continue excreting the parasite and infecting others. Therefore, other methods of diagnosis should be looked for, which overcome the drawbacks of microscopy when used alone for diagnosis. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of copro-antigen detection by ELISA test in comparison to direct microscopy in the diagnosis of G. lamblia in stool specimens from patients with diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms