title: Celiac Disease in an Adoptive Child with Recurrent Giardia Infection.
abstract: Celiac disease (CD) is an inflammatory disease of the small intestine. A complete management and differential diagnosis of such disease includes food intolerances, intestinal infections, and irritable bowel syndrome. We describe an 8-years-old adoptive girl from Congo with negative medical history. Patient followed for recurrent abdominal pain and diarrhea associated to Giardia infection, unresponsive to antiparasitic therapy. Persistence of symptoms despite antiparasitic therapy, prompted us to perform: 1- Blood screening of Celiac disease, which was negative; 2- Genetic evaluation of celiac disease, which revealed the presence of HLA-DQ2 heterodimer; and 3- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, which showed duodenal villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia, associated with Helicobacter Pylori infection. The child was treated in accordance with international recommendations using a Gluten-free diet and specific antibiotics, which lead to the resolution of the symptoms. Our patient's clinical history seems peculiar, considering that, recurrent Giardiasis may mimic the symptoms of Celiac disease and may simulate clinical and histological picture of active Celiac disease. Early diagnosis may help prevent the complications of untreated celiac disease.
authors: University Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
authors: Hyppolite K
authors: HK
authors: Tchidjou
authors: University Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
authors: Arianna
authors: A
authors: De Matteis
authors: University Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Di Iorio
authors: University Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy ; Chair of Pediatrics, University of Tor-Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Finocchi
keywords: Celiac Disease; Intestinal Parasitosis; Recurrent Giardiasis