DETECTION OF GIARDIA INTESTINALIS COPROANTIGENS IN DIARRHEIC SAMPLES BY IMMUNOCHROMATOGRAPHIC AND ELISATECHNIQUES.

Giardia intestinalis is one of the most common diarrhea-causing protozoa. The present study aimed to search for specific and sensitive diagnostic tests to avoid loss of infected cases with Giardia intestinalis by detection of G. intestinalis coproantigens in diarrheic samples through comparison between direct parasitological method, an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunochromatographic test (ICT). A comparative cross-sectional study including 75 cases suffering from diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms suggestive of intestinal giardiasis as abdominal distention, abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea, vomiting and weight loss, and 25 cases were without any clinical manifestations enrolled in this study. For every case, complete history taking and full clinical examination were done. Stool samples were collected from all cases and investigated by direct parasitological method, ELISA, and immunochromatographic techniques. The results showed that the sensitivity of immunochromatographic technique was 96% and specificity was 96% while sensitivity of ELISA was 98% and specificity was 96% on comparing their results to the microscopic examination of stool samples for Giardia intestinalis.