Giardia intestinalis is unlikely to be a major cause of the poor growth of rural Gambian infants.
Parasite-specific plasma immunoglobulins have been used to indicate the presence of Giardia intestinalis infection in 60 infants living in a rural area of The Gambia. Infants were studied longitudinally between 2 and 8 mo of age. The median age for first exposure to G. intestinalis was between 3 and 4 mo, and by 8 mo all but 3 infants (95%) showed a positive titer on at least one occasion. Raised Giardia-specific IgM titers were associated with reduced weight gain in the 2 wk preceding a positive titer, but catch-up growth occurred in the following 2 wk. IgM antibody titers were also positively associated with intestinal permeability (lactulose/mannitol ratio), urinary lactose excretion, plasma concentrations of alpha1-antichymotrypsin and total IgM, IgA and IgG immunoglobulins. However, infant growth over the whole 6-mo period (i.e., between 2 and 8 mo of age) was not related to mean Giardia-specific antibody titers, nor the time of first exposure to the parasite. The data suggest that giardiasis in these very young breast-fed children occurs as a mild, acute disease, and its presence could not explain the marked, long-term growth faltering observed in many of the subjects.
Lunn
P G
PG
M. R. C. Dunn Nutritional Laboratory, Downham's Lane, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1XJ, United Kingdom.
Erinoso
H O
HO
Northrop-Clewes
C A
CA
Boyce
S A
SA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005714:Gambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016829:Giardia lamblia; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D012621:Seasons; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin / Q000097:blood
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin