[Giardiasis in children - clinical diversity and diagnostic problems based on own experience].

UNLABELLED: Parasitosis still remains a significant pediatric health problem, despite improving hygienic conditions and social awareness.

THE AIM OF THIS STUDY: was to analyze clinical manifestations of Giardia lamblia infection in children hospitalized in the Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Gastroenterology and Oncology of Medical University of Gdansk.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: studied children included 49 patients aged 2.2 - 17.3 years: group I children below and group II above 5 years of age. The patients were admitted for further diagnosis of unexplained clinical manifestations in outpatient care. Parasitosis was confirmed by immuno-enzymatic technique detecting protein GSA 65; only in one child parasites cysts were found by microscopic technique in faecal samples obtained from infected children.

RESULTS: chronic abdominal pain was noted in 16 (72.7%) children in group I and in 22 (81.5%) patients in group II. Chronic diarrhea was observed in 20 (90.9%) children in group I and in 4 (14.8%) in group II. Ultrasound scans revealed mesenteric lymphadenopathy in 42 children (16 in group I and 26 in group II).

CONCLUSIONS: chronic and recurrent abdominal pain was the main clinical complain and chronic diarrhea in children under 5 years of age. In few cases hepatobiliary involvement was observed, which might suggest a changing clinical course of giardiasis. Most of the children presented with mesenteric lymphadenopathy, which was confirmed by abdominal ultrasound scan. Thus, this method should be included in the diagnostic algorithm, if parasitosis is considered.