Evaluation of a new method for routine in vitro cultivation of Giardia lamblia from human duodenal fluid.

Although a method for in vitro cultivation of Giardia lamblia was described as early as 1927, only a few clinical isolates were cultured in vitro due to the complexity of the techniques. We developed a method which allows for the routine isolation of Giardia trophozoites from human duodenal fluid and maintenance of the organisms in axenic culture. This study evaluates the method in 198 patients.