title: [Intestinal giardiasis. Mini-review].
abstract: Giardia intestinalis is a common parasite in our country and the rest of the world and is responsible for several clinical disturbances that include dysentery type diarrheas, recurrent abdominal pain, duodenitis, jejunitis, cholecystitis and in some cases toxemias and convulsions. In this paper we review recent concepts of intestinal giardiasis, considering the basic aspects of the biology and physiology of Giardia intestinalis, its morphology and its relationship the parasite pathogenicity. We detail the physiopathological mechanisms responsible for the different clinic manifestations of giardiasis, the specific laboratory and endoscopic methods of diagnosis and the most recent advances in the treatment and prophylaxis of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Cátedras de Fisiopatología, Microbiología y Farmacología, Escuela Experimental de Enfermería, Universidad Central de Venezuela.Caracas, Venezuela
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de la Parte
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hurtado
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magaldi
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collazo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D000075202:Contraindications; D005260:Female; D005664:Furazolidone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010303:Paromomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D014876:Water Pollution
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D005664:Furazolidone; D010303:Paromomycin