Objective Studying the frequency of atopic dermatitis and giardiasis occurrence in children.

Materials and Methods In 2007–2011, 173 children aged 3–17 have been examined, who underwent treatment for atopic dermatitis in the Clinical Hospital of Simferopol. Their diagnosis were verified based on the patients’ complaints, histories, clinical, biochemical and instrumental examinations.

Discussion Out of 173 examined children, 46 were diagnosed with giardiasis. Apart from typical symptoms of allergy, clinical findings included skin manifestations inherent to giardiasis: paleness, cheilitis, hyperkeratosis follicularis punctata and prolonged skin itching. As a result of reflex and toxicoallergic actions of Giardia, a syndrome of chronic endointoxication has prompted emergence of dyskinesia of the gallbladder and sphincter apparatus in 75% of patients with subsequent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (in 48% of patients). That further increased an antigenic load on their immune systems. SCORAD index in 22 infected children showed moderate severity of atopic dermatitis, whereas 18 patients proved to have a severe form.

Conclusion The analysis has shown that 27% of patients with atopic dermatitis were infected with giardiasis. These data require a use of a complex approach to the therapy of atopic dermatitis, more thorough examination of children for any pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly, the examination of helminths.