THE PATHOGENICITY OF GIARDIA (LAMBLIA) INTESTINALIS TO MEN AND TO EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

Abstract

WHILE British troops were in Gallipoli, a number of men contracted various forms of dysentery or diarrhoea, and severe cases occurred. Among the men invalided to England a number were found to be infected with Giardia (Lamiblia) intestinalis, and some harboured no other dysentery-producing organism. We personally found 187 cases of pure lambliasis among 1,305 patients. Similar cases of pure lambliasis lhave occurred on the western front, while from the various war zones patients with mixed infections have been common. The patlhogenicity of Giardia (Lamblia) intestinal'i8 has been disputed in certain quarters. We have always believed that the organism was pathogenic, and published the same in 1915 and 1916. We here give our personal evidence, based on our observations of pure cases of lambliasis in man and of some experiments with human Lamblia on animals. We may say at once tllat in both human and animal lambliasis stools, as well as at post-mortem examinations, erosion and distortion of the intestinal epithelial cells occurred, owing to the direct suctorial action of the flagellate Lamblia.