Nutritional status of children infected with Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica infections in Kalar town, Iraq

الملخص

Giardia lamblia is a flagellate protozoon which causes giardiasis. The infection is limited to the small intestine and/ or the biliary tract. It may produce a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms especially in children; which include vomiting, flatulence, diarrhea and malabsorption syndrome. Entamoeba histolytica causes amoebiasis in human beings which is an infection of the large intestine; it may invade the host tissues. It may produce acute amoebic dysentery which is accompanied with blood, mucus and tenesmus; chronic and asymptomatic amoebiasis or extra-intestinal amoebiasis. This study was carried out from second of May to thirties of November 2008 to show the relationship between Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica infections with some biochemical parameters and anthropometric measurements among 348 children aged 2-13 years old in Kalar General Hospital. Stool examination was done by direct method using normal saline and lugols iodine solution. Biochemical parameters (total protein, albumin, globulin, zinc, copper, and iron were estimated by spectrometry. The nutritional status were determined by measuring weight for age (WFA), weight for height (WFH) and height for age (HFA) according to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The overall prevalence of infections was 48%. The infection rate of E. histolytica 31.6% was higher than G. lamblia 16.37%. Total serum protein and albumin concentrations were decreased significanly in G. lamblia (7.15 mg/dl, 4.91 mg/dl) and E. histolytica (6.48mg/dl, 4.76 mg/dl) infected children compared to non-infected (7.49 mg/dl, 5.02mg/dl), while total globulin concentration increased significantly in G. lamblia (3.41 mg/dl) and decreased slightly in E. histolytica (2.22mg/dl) infected children compared to non-infected (2.56 gm/dl) ones. Serum zinc and iron element concentrations decreased significantly in G. lamblia (79µg/dl, 54µg/dl) and E. histolyrtica (78 µg/dl, 68 µg/dl) infections compared to non-infected (96µg/dl, 87µg/dl) respectively, while copper level decreased slightly in G. lamblia (110µg/dl) and significantly in E. histolytica (65 µg/dl) infections in comparison to non-infected group (125µg/dl). G. lamblia and E. histolytica infections were more prevalent in underweight children (low WFA), and stunted children (low HFA), whereas in wasted children (WFH) had no relation with both infections.