RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Prevalence and treatment of giardiasis in chronic diarrhoea and malnutrition. JF Archives of Disease in Childhood JO Arch Dis Child FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health SP 304 OP 306 DO 10.1136/adc.66.3.304 VO 66 IS 3 A1 P B Sullivan A1 M N Marsh A1 M B Phillips A1 O Dewit A1 G Neale A1 A M Cevallos A1 P Yamson A1 M J Farthing YR 1991 UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/66/3/304.abstract AB To determine the prevalence of giardiasis in Gambian children with chronic diarrhoea and to assess their response to treatment, 31 children with chronic diarrhoea and malnutrition were investigated for giardiasis using a combination of serology (specific antigiardia IgM antibody) and microscopy of faeces and jejunal biopsy specimens. Fourteen of 31 children with chronic diarrhoea had giardiasis compared with only four of 33 healthy age and sex matched control children. Four of 15 malnourished children without diarrhoea were giardia positive. Twenty-three children with chronic diarrhoea were reinvestigated after treatment with metronidazole; giardia was found in 11 of them. These results show that giardia is highly prevalent in children with chronic diarrhoea and malnutrition and that the infection does not respond to standard therapeutic measures.