Does co-infection with Giardia lamblia modulate the clinical characteristics of enteric infections in young children?
GROUND: Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) is a prevalent enteric pathogen causing both asymptomatic carriage and diarrheal illness among children worldwide. In this study we examined the hypothesis that G. lamblia may modulate the effect of other enteric pathogens during concurrent infection. METHODS: Bedouin (n = 238) infants were followed from birth to ages 18-23 months. Morbidity was ascertained by weekly home interviews and infant’s stools were collected fortnightly. The risk for and severity of diarrheal disease were compared between episodes caused by enteric pathogens other than G. lamblia alone and G. lamblia-mixed episodes. RESULTS: In 59 of 293(20.1%) diarrhea episodes two or more pathogens were detected. In two thirds of the mixed episodes G. lamblia was involved. Neither the incidence of diarrhea nor the mean diarrheal episode duration differed between follow up months in which G. lamblia was or was not detected, when age specific or age adjusted values were compared. There were
