Haemoglobin concentrations and infection by Giardia intestinalis in children: effect of treatment with secnidazole.
The blood concentrations of haemoglobin were investigated in 82 children aged 2-9 years. Fifty-seven (31 boys and 26 girls) were stool-positive for Giardia intestinalis but the other 25, used as controls, were negative. The mean (S.D.) haemoglobin concentration among the infected children was significantly lower pre-treatment than that for the control group [11.6 (1.2) v. 12.6 (1.5) g/dl; P < 0.05]. Treatment of the infected children with a single oral dose of secnidazole (30 mg/kg) led to a significant increase in their mean haemoglobin level 15 days later, from 11.6 (1.2) g/dl pre-treatment to 12.4 (1.2) g/dl post-treatment (P < 0.05). The results indicate that the therapeutic control of giardiasis could be important in programmes to combat anaemia in children living in endemic areas.
Jiménez
J C
JC
Sección de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biomedicina, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela. jcjimenez488@hotmail.com
Rodríguez
N
N
Di Prisco
M C
MC
Lynch
N R
NR
Costa
V
V
D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D006454:Hemoglobins; D008795:Metronidazole; C016724:secnidazole