Immunological methods of diagnosis in giardiasis: an overview.

The epidemiology and clinical presentations of giardiasis are reviewed to provide a basis of understanding the laboratory aspects of this parasitic infection. Diagnosis is then discussed in light of recent studies that challenge our overall approach to the diagnosis of enteric parasites and demonstrate the need for further evaluation on the basis of cost-effectiveness as well as reliability and clinical practicality. Overall effectiveness as well as the difficulties with present standard diagnostic methods in giardiasis are reviewed. This is followed by a discussion of the more recently developed immunological approaches to diagnosis. The role of these tests in the parasitology laboratory is also discussed.