Parasitic GIT Damage in School Children Diagnosed with Clinical Tests and Ultrasound Imaging

Study Objective: To analyse parasitic GIT damage in children in Astrakhan Region as exemplified by Lamblia intestinalis invasion. Study Design: real-time epidemiological analysis. Materials and Methods. Follow-up enrolled 131 children aged 2.5 to 17 years with lambliosis, including 55 (42.0%) school children. Parasitic GIT damage was diagnosed in 33 (60.0%) school children. The highest percentage of subjects with GIT damage and lambliosis was recorded in children aged 7 to 14 years — 21 out of 33 (63.6%) children. Study Results. All children came from organised groups (school children). All followed up children had clinical signs of GIT damage (ultrasound imaging results): reactive pancreas changes — 2 (6.1%), reactive liver changes — 5 (15.2%), signs of biliary dyskinesia — 12 (36.3%), a combination of liver and pancreas damage — 4 (12.1%), a combination of liver, pancreas damage and signs of biliary dyskinesia — 5 (15.2%), liver damage and signs of biliary dyskinesia — 3 (9%), and pancreas damage and signs of biliary dyskinesia — 2 (6.1%). In the majority of cases (n = 25; 75.8%), children were treated with Nifuratel 15 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days. Albendazole 12 mg/kg once daily for 5-7 days was prescribed to 8 (24.2%) children. Conclusion. Lambliosis was more common in primary school children; it can be indicative of inadequate knowledge of personal hygiene routine. The main causes of disease are poor personal hygiene and contact with pets, mostly with cats. Key complaints are abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, loose stool and skin allergies. Keywords: lambliosis, geography, onychophagy, personal hygiene, reactive liver changes, reactive pancreas changes.