Giardiasis in children-revisited

Abstract EN

Background: Giardia lamblia infects children morefre-qm ntly Ilian adults.

However; no guidelines seem to exist regarding management in children.

Aim: To audit the current management approach to giardiasis in children..

Method: The clinical parameters of 91 children with giardiasis were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: The majority (77%) presented under the age of 4 years with a significant increase in the second year of life.

Four symptom-related groups were identified: acute diarrhoea and/or vomiting (41%), chronic diarrhoea (43%), abdominal pain (5%), and asymptomatic (11%).

There was a history of travel abroad in 27 (30%) children and 34 (37%) had mixed infections.

There was no consistent approach to treatment; eighteen patients were not treated, 16 of which were symptomatic; 65 cases were treated in hospital of which 44 (68%) were followed up with a poor response to treatment in 8 (21%).

In only 6 children were the stools examined after treatment.

Conclusion: A more organized and consistent approach to giardiasis is required.

Health care professionals should consider the diagnosis of giardiasis in children presenting with acute or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms.

K'ey words: Children, Diarrhoea, Giardia lamblia