Impact of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Giardia lamblia</Emphasis> on Growth,Serum Levels of Zinc,Copper, and Iron in Egyptian Children |
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Authors: | Omaima Abou-Shady Mona S El Raziky Mayssa Mohamed Zaki Reham Kamal Mohamed |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Parasitology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt;(2) Department of Pediatrics, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt; |
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Abstract: | The aim of this study is to evaluate the serological levels of zinc, copper and iron in Giardia lamblia-infected children and to study the effect of giardiasis on their weight compared to controls. We studied 30 children, 1–10 years
old, who attended the outpatient clinics of Cairo university pediatric hospital, with gastrointestinal complaints and diagnosed
as having giardiasis by stools examination, they were enrolled as a study group. The control group consisted of 30 age- and
sex-matched healthy children, free of gastrointestinal complaints and free of giardiasis. Serological levels of zinc, copper,
and iron were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The infected group had significantly lower weight, serum iron,
and zinc than controls (P = 0.035, <0.001, and <0.001 respectively) and 63.3% of patients infected with giardiasis were 1–5 years old. In the infected
cases, 60% suffered from of abdominal pain, 50% from weight loss, and 40% had intermittent diarrhea. Infected cases with weight
percentiles below the fifth had significantly lower serum iron than those with normal percentiles (>5th). In conclusion, most
giardiasis-infected children were between 1 and 5 years, with significant affection of weight, abdominal pain, and/or intermittent
diarrhea. Serum zinc and iron levels were significantly decreased in the infected group compared to control (P < 0.001). |
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