ABSTRACT
Effect of albendazole, metronidazole and nitazoxanide on the viability and structure of Giardia lamblia cysts isolates from infected children. The viability was evaluated by inducing excystation in a low-pH solution followed by an incubation in TYI-S culture medium. Nitazoxanide exhibited potent inhibitory effect (100%), metronidazole (79%) and albendazole (31%). The analysis among groups indicated a rs = 0.75 and p < 0.05. By TEM the cysts incubated with albendazole did not show morphological changes; with metronidazole, the formation of residual bodies in the nucleus border was observed. Incubated with nitazoxanide the damage to the cyst wall was evident, with the formation of areas with a granular content and the presence of cytoplasmic components in the peritrophic space. Our results propose that nitazoxanide showed a high effect on the viability and structure of G. lamblia cysts.