Gastric giardiasisanalysis of biopsy specimens from 191 patients infected withGiardia lamblia

摘要

Objective:(1) To carry out a histologic evaluation of gastric diseases in patients infested withGiardia lambliato see whether potential gastric disease was associated with an increased susceptibility to infestation with the protozoa. (2) To answer the question whether colonization of gastric mucosa byG. lambliaoccurs and, if so, how frequently.Design:Gastric mucosal biopsy specimens from 191 patients with proven giardiasis were histologically analysed.Results:Sparse colonization of the gastric mucosa with trophozoites ofG. lambliawas found in 22.5% of patients. The parasites were found on gastric type mucosa (60.5%), on areas of intestinal metaplasia (20.9%) or on both (18.6%). The histologic analysis of gastric mucosal biopsy specimens from patients with and without gastric giardiasis revealedHelicobacter pylori-associated chronic gastritis in 73.3%, normal histology in 15.2%, reactive gastritis in 7.3% and autoimmune gastritis in 3.1%. These results are comparable with those previously obtained in aG. lamblia-negative group.Conclusions:The antral region of the stomach can be colonized byG. lamblia. Identification of these parasites in gastric biopsy specimens might be helpful, especially when duodenal biopsy specimens are not obtained. Infestation withG. lambliais not dependent on a histologically detectable gastric disease.