Prevalence of Giardia lamblia in children attending an out-patient department of Siriraj Hospital
Burana Chavalittamrong; Siriphongs Charoenvidhya; Prasong Tuchinda; Vibul Suntornpoch; Sanay Chearskul
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 9(1): 51-54
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-1562 PMID: 705416 Document Number: 133158
Giardia lamblia has been considered a facultative pathogenic organism. The prevalence of this organism was found in 18.58% and 18.18% of children with and without associated symptoms. The prevalence is higher than those previous studies from Southeast Asia. Most children are commonly infected after 1 year of age. Giardiasis should be suspected in any child with unexplained chronic diarrhoea, abdominal pain and failure to gain weight. The diagnosis is important because the disease is curable after appropriate treatment.