Giardia Iamblia in AIDS Patients with Diarrhea

PIKUL MOOLASART, M.D.*

Affiliation : * WHO Collaborating Centre on HIV/AIDS, Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Hospital, Department of Communi- cable Disease Control, 126 Tiwanon Road, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand.

AbstractGiardia Iamblia, a flagellate protozoan is a protozoa, frequently associated with diarrhea in AIDS patients (adults and children). Transmission occurs via the fecal-oral route by ingestion of infectious cysts in contaminated food or drinking water. Giardia Iamblia can cause diarrhea and intestinal malabsorption in both AIDS and non-AIDS patients. The prevalence rate of diarrhea caused by Giardia Iamblia in AIDS patients is higher than in those without AIDS, due to humoral immune defect in AIDS patients. The most common symptoms are abdominal distress, watery diarrhea and weight loss. The clinical symptoms in AIDS patients are similar to those in non-AIDS patients. Diagnosis may be made by identifying either cysts or trophozoites in a stool sample, duodenal biopsy and aspirate. Metronidazole is the common drug of choice. Relapse may be found in AIDS patients. At present there is no vaccine. Prevention requires proper handling, good hygiene and treatment of water used for AIDS patients.

Keywords : AIDS, Giardia Iamblia, Diarrhea

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