title: Giardiasis in childhood and its effects on the small intestine.
abstract: The effects of Giardia lamblia on small bowel function were studied. Thirty-three asymptomatic children were studied before and after treatment with metronidazole (Nimorazol). Patients had a small intestinal biopsy, bile salt determinations, and the following absorptive tests: D-xylose, triglyceride, and lactose and sucrose tolerance tests. Before treatment, 87% had unconjugated bile salts in duodenal fluid but afterwards only 60% did. Small bowel biopsy changes did not correlate with the pre- and posttreatment periods. Triglyceride absorption showed significant differences between patients at different periods of the study; D-Xylose absorption did not reveal differences between the periods of the study but was significantly impaired when compared with controls. Lactose malabsorption was detected in 56% and sucrose in 7% of the patients. G. lamblia may have some pathogenic role, although nonspecific to intestinal function. It probably acts more in a synergistic way with other pathogenic agents that inhabit the intestinal lumen of children living under unfavorable conditions producing the picture of tropical enteropathy.
mesh_terms: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D007579:Jejunal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D014280:Triglycerides; D008795:Metronidazole