Detection of giardia lamblia in children by microscopy, elisa and real time pcr assay

Abstract

Conventional microscopy, ELISA and Real Time PCR showed Giardia lamblia
in a total of 4470 asymptomatic and 423 symptomatic faecal samples from urban
slum children of 13 - 60 months age old. ELISA showed more sensitivity (88.88%)
and specificity (90.91%) than microscopy (6.5% sensitive and 100% specific). The
prevalence of G. lamblia infection among asymptomatic children was 37.93% by
microscopy and 76.11% by ELISA. The prevalence was 7.03, 38.91 and 66.49 by
microscopy, ELISA and Real Time PCR in symptomatic children, respectively.
The highest prevalence (80.95%) of infection was found in symptomatic children
between 49 and 60 months old. Peak prevalence among asymptomatic children
was found in March, 2012 (39.39%) and among symptomatic children in
September, 2012 (88.88%). Giardia lamblia infection was higher (71.03%) in male
than in female children (60.26%).