Giardiasis--clinical and diagnostic perspective.

ABSTRACT

Fifty patients of chronic diarrhoea in the pediatric age group admitted in Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital were studied. Thirty cases were diagnosed to be suffering from giardiasis based on microscopy of fecal and/or duodenal fluid specimens. Fecal specimen microscopy missed two cases which were diagnosed by duodenal aspirate microscopy and vice-versa. All fecal specimens were negative on culture, while duodenal aspirate culture gave large number of false negative results. Serum immunoglobulin levels did not show significant changes. Thus, routine microscopic testing is presently the best means for early diagnosis of giardiasis.