Treatment of Patients with Refractory Giardiasis

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 22 - 28
• Main Authors: Nash, Theodore E., Ohl, Christopher A., Thomas, Elaine, Subramanian, Gangadnaran, Keiser, Paul, Moore, Thomas A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01-07-2001; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adult; AIDS; Animals; Antigens; Antiprotozoal Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Cysts; Diarrhea; Dosage; Drug Resistance; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Giardia lamblia - drug effects; Giardiasis; Giardiasis - drug therapy; Giardiasis - parasitology; Human protozoal diseases; Humans; Immunocompetence; Immunocompromised Host; Infections; Infectious diseases; Major Articles; Male; Medical cures; Medical sciences; Metronidazole - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Parasitic diseases due to ciliates and flagellates; Patient assessment; Protozoal diseases; Quinacrine - therapeutic use; Human; Nitro compound; Imidazole derivatives; Protozoal disease; Drug combination; Treatment resistance; Parasitosis; Infection; Case study; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Giardiasis; Parasiticid; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Metronidazole
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/320886

Giardia lamblia is one of the most common parasitic infections. Although standard treatments are usually curative, some immunocompromised patients, including patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome as well as healthy patients, have giardiasis that is refractory to recommended regimens. We report our experience with 6 patients with giardiasis, for whom therapy with a combination of quinacrine and metronidazole resulted in cures for 5 of the 6 patients.