The Use of Quinacrine in Nitroimidazole-resistant Giardia Duodenalis: An Old Drug for an Emerging Problem.

Background: There is little evidence regarding the management of refractory giardiasis after treatment with nitroimidazoles. This study estimates the proportion of persistent giardiasis in 3 hospitals in Barcelona, describes associated risk factors and genotype, and evaluates the efficacy rate of quinacrine in those with persistent giardiasis.

Methods: A clinical, prospective, observational study was conducted in patients with giardiasis treated with nitroimidazoles.

Cryptosporidiosis outbreak in a child day-care center caused by an unusual Cryptosporidium hominis subtype.

Introduction: This work describes the genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium and Giardia involved in an outbreak in a nursery school in Granada, Spain, that affected seven children under the age of 4.

Methods: Nucleic acids were extracted from the seven stool samples positive to Cryptosporidium or Giardia by microscopy and/or immunochromatography. The species and subtypes of Cryptosporidium were identified by PCR-RFLP and PCR of the SSUrRNA and gp60 genes, respectively.

A family cluster of giardiasis with variable treatment responses: refractory giardiasis in a family after a trip to India.

Persistence of giardiasis after some of the recommended drugs is occurring with increasing frequency. We describe the follow-up of four members of a family with giardiasis through microscopic observation, immunochromatography and PCRs of tpi and β-giardin genes. Three patients did not respond to tinidazole but they were cured after quinacrine.

Potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae (FLA) isolated in Spanish wastewater treatment plants.

This work studies the characterization of pathogenic free-living amoebae (FLA) from sewage effluents. Some of them, such as Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, Hartmannella, Sappinia, Balamuthia and Paravahlkampfia have been reported as a cause of diseases in humans. Therefore, the study of their habitats and their pathogenicity has become necessary.