Correlação entre eosinofilia e protoparasitose por Giardia lamblia em crianças

Abstract

The relationship between eosinophilia and diseases produced by parasitic protozoa is poorly defined and unfrequently related in the scientific literature. Not all the intestinal parasites are able to induce eosinophilia, but when there is a tissue invasion. Among the most common protoparasitoses, giardiasis produced by Giardia lamblia is very prevalent, mainly in children, when may cause diarrhea and malabsorption. The purpose of this work was to investigate the correlation between eosinophilia and the presen- ce of Giardia lamblia, by examination of 1,598 samples of feces from patients, with age between zero and ten years old, that were re- ceived at School Laboratory of Biomedicine Department at Catholic University of Goias. From them, 949 presented eosinophilia (59,4%). This proportion was significantly different from that expected if there was not relationship between giardiasis and eosinophi- lia (1:1) (2 = 28.16; P <0,01). Therefore, we concluded that the eosinophilia is an hematological parameter that should be considered in the approach and in the patient's evaluation. It is suggested that intestinal protoparasitosis with Giardia lamblia, may induce eosi- nophilia, which may have a predictive value. The inclusion of this parameter may help on the diagnosis.