title: Prospective evaluation of lactose malabsorption by lactose hydrogen breath test in individuals infected with Entamoeba histolytica and passing cysts.
abstract: The aim of the present prospective study was to detect lactose malabsorption in subjects in northern India infected with Entamoeba histolytica and passing cysts. The study group included forty-one patients with E. histolytica cysts in at least one of three consecutive faecal samples. Lactose malabsorption was detected by a lactose H2 breath test. The results were compared with those of forty controls subjects. Thirty-two of forty-one (78.0 %) subjects passing E. histolytica cysts had lactose malabsorption compared with seventeen of forty (42.5 %) control subjects (P<0.01). In conclusion, the present study shows that lactose malabsorption is significantly more common in individuals infected with E. histolytica and passing cysts compared with control subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Experimental Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India. svrana25@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Satya Vati
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.forename: Deepak Kumar
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Bhasin
authors.forename: Virender Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Vinayak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D003560:Cysts / Q000469:parasitology; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007787:Lactose Intolerance / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies