title: Peculiar histopathological features of giardiasis in distal duodenal biopsies.
abstract: Histological changes in 20 Giardia positive duodenal biopsies (Group A) were compared with 50, Giardia negative duodenal biopsies (Group B), taken during the same period. Stool examinations in Group B were negative for Giardia. Surface epithelium, villous and crypt architecture and cellular infiltrates were examined and compared between the groups. Atrophic changes in the villi were more common in Group A as compared to B(P < 0.0001). Intraepithelial neutrophil infiltration (P < 0.001), infiltration of the lamina propria with plasma cells (P < 0.5), and presence of eosinophils in the lamina propria (P < 0.001) were significant findings in group A. Some of the changes were related to the density of Giardia colonization e.g., the goblet cell depletion (P < 0.05) and the density of plasma cell infiltration in lamina propria (P < 0.01). Erosions and ulcerations were less commonly seen in group A. Thus we conclude that giardiasis manifests its peculiar features in the distal duodenal mucosa and a biopsy of this region is an important diagnostic tool for detection of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Pathology, Aga Khan University Medical Centre, Karachi.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jafri
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D004386:Duodenum / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged