Concurrent giardiasis and amoebiasis infections in Nigerian children diagnosed with Plasmodium falciparum malaria: prevalence and pathophysiological implications.

The prevalence of giardiasis and amoebiasis as concurrent infections in Nigerian children diagnosed with Plasmodium falciparum malaria was investigated. From the results, 69 (27.6%) of the 250 children diagnosed with malaria, were concurrently infected by amoebiasis, 13 (5.20%) were infected by giardiasis, while 38 (15.2%) were infected by both giardiasis and amoebiasis. In all, 119 (47.60%) of the test population were concurrently infected by either one or both protozoan infections. The prevalence of giardiasis and mixed giardiasis/amoebiasis infections was significantly (p<.05) higher in the malaria-positive subjects than in the malaria-free group. However, the prevalence of amoebiasis in the malaria-positive group (27.6%) was lower than the prevalence (37.14%) in the malaria-negative control. It is concluded that a relatively high percentage of cases of childhood malaria in Nigeria is confounded by giardiasis and amoebiasis with severe implications for severity, duration and eventual outcome of illness.