[Investigation of the Giardia lamblia infection rate using whole gut lavage fluid].
BACKGROUND
Approximately 100 cases of giardiasis incidence are reported each year in Japan. The actual infection rate, however, is suspected to be higher since giardiasis is often overlooked due to the mildness of its symptoms. We investigated the presence of trophozoites of Giardia lamblia microscopically in sediment of whole gut lavage fluid obtained from patients undergoing colonoscopy.


METHODS
Whole gut lavage fluid was collected from all 3035 cases (2355 persons) undergoing colonoscopy at Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases from 1993 to 1997. After Papanicolaou staining, sediment specimens of the lavage fluid were microscopically observed.


RESULTS
Giardia lamblia were identified in 15 cases (12 persons: 0.51%). Among them, four patients had diarrhea and/or abdominal pain. Subsequently, three of them were treated with metronidazole.


CONCLUSIONS
Giardiasis is not a rare infectious disease among the Japanese; therefore it should be taken into consideration in evaluating enteritis.
Kawano
Astuko
A
Division of Preventive and Social Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Osaka Medical College.
Ishikawa
Hideki
H
Yamamoto
Tatsuo
T
Otani
Toru
T
Iishi
Hiroyasu
H
Ishiguro
Shingo
S
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008795:Metronidazole