Summary
Twenty-five patients with giardiasis were submitted to duodenal and/or jejunal biopsy. Other intestinal parasites that usually inhabit the small bowel were present in 20.
The trophozoite of Giardia lamblia was found either among the mucous threads adherent to the mucous membrane or close to the membrane itself in the tissue sections of 7 patients. In 5 patients, the parasite was located in a jejunal specimen. In another, it was found both in jejunal and duodenal specimens. In the remaining case, the site of specimen was not identified.
No other specific abnormality related to giardiasis was found. Minor pathologic changes such as partial villous atrophy and an apparent increase in the size and number of the goblet cells as well as in the number of mitoses of the intestinal epithelium were found in some patients.
The authors discuss the significance of these findings which, in some instances, could be related to the action of other parasites infecting their patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kyser, F. A. Giardial infection among human beings.Proc. Staff Meet. Mayo Clin. 16:493, 1941.
Nutter, P. B., Rodaniche, E. C, andPalmer, W. L. Giardia lamblia infection in man.J.A.M.A. 116:1630, 1941.
Powell, E. D. U. Giardiasis.Irish J. M. Sc. 6:509, 1956.
Véghelyi, M. P. A propos de la lambliase et de stéatorrhéa.Bull. Soc. med. hóp. Paris 69:896, 1953.
Roch, M., andLasserre, R. Lambliase et stéatorrhéa.Bull. Soc. m éd. hóp. Paris 69:288, 1953.
Ciauri, G., Mattei, F., andMastrandrea, G. La syndrome steatorrhea nelle lambliasis.Arch. Ital. Sc. Med. Trop. Parasitol. 36:439, 1955.
Katsampes, C. P., McCoord, A. B., andPhillips, W. A. Vitamin A absorption test in cases of giardiasis.A.M.A. Am. J. Dis. Child. 67:189, 1944.
Belleli, L., Ciauri, G., andMastrandrea, G. La curva ematica da carico di vitamina A nella lambliase.Arch. Ital. Sci. Med. Trop. Parassitol. 36:342, 1955.
Budianski, E. Aspectos clinicos da giardiase intestinal crónica na infáncia.Hospital, Rio de Janeiro 46:555, 1954.
Smithies, F. Parasitosis of bile passages and gallbladder.Am. J. M. Sc. 176:225, 1928.
Boeck, W. C. Giardiasis in man. Its prevalence and relation to diarthea and to gallbladder disease.Ann. Int. Med. 39:134, 1927.
Werster, B. H. Human infection with Giardia lamblia; an analysis of 32 cases.Am. J. Digest. Dis. N.S. 3:64, 1958.
McGrath,cited by Powell.3
Labbé, M., Nepveux, F. C., andJustin-Besançon, L. Cirrhose hypertrophique pig-mentaire du fole et lambliase intestinale.Bull. Soc. méd. hóp. Paris 53:1007, 1929.
Fairisi, C, andJannin, L. Dysenterie chronique a “lamblia”.Arch. Med. Exp. et Ant. Path. 25:525, 1913.
Hoffmann, W. A., Pons, J. A., andJaner, J. L. The sedimentation concentration method in Schistosomiasis mansoni.J. Pub. Health and Trop. Med., Puerto Rico 8:283, 1934.
Baermann, G. In Faust, E. C.Human Helminthology. Lea, Philadelphia, 1939.
Faust, E. C., D'Antoni, J. S., Odon, V., Miller, H. J., Perez, C., Sawitz, W., Thornen, L. F., Tobie, J., andWalker, J. H. A critical study of clinical laboratory technics for the diagnosis of protozoan cysts and helminth-eggs in feces.Am. J. Trop. Med. 18:169, 1918.
Faust, E. C. andRussel, P. F. InClinical Parasitology. Sixth Ed., Lea, Philadelphia, 1957.
Brumpt, E. Précis de Parasitologie. Sixth Ed. Masson, Paris, 1949.
Pessoa, S. B. Parasitologia Médica. Fourth Ed. Liv. Ed. Guanabara-Koogan S. A., Rio de Janciro, 1958.
Shiner, M., andDomach, I. Histopathologic studies in steatorrhea.Gastroenterology 38:419, 1960.
Coutinho, S. G., Dias, L. B., Ferreira, L. F., De Paola, D., andRodrigues da Silva, J. Biópsia duodeno-jejunal em portadores de Strongyloides stercoralis.Rev. brasil. med. 18:678, 1961.
De Paola, D. Patologia da Estrongiloidiase. Thesis, University of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, 1961.
Sheehy, T. W., Meroney, W. H., Cox, R. S. J., andSoler, J. E. Hookworm disease and malabsorption.Gastroenterology 42:148, 1962.
Florey, H. W. The secretion and function of intestinal mucus.Gastroenterology 43: 326, 1962.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported in part by Public Health Service Grant AI-05188-01 from the Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rodrigues da Silva, J., Coutinho, S.G., Dias, L.B. et al. Histopathologic findings in giardiasis: A biopsy study. Digest Dis Sci 9, 355–365 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02232578
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02232578