Fraser D
Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Isr J Med Sci. 1994 May-Jun;30(5-6):356-61.
Giardia lamblia infections are now recognized as having a considerable health impact in industrialized regions, while the pathogenicity of G. lamblia in endemic areas has not been fully established. Cryptosporidium infections have emerged over the past two decades as a major health concern in developed and developing nations alike. In addition, the organism is implicated in persistent diarrhea and is associated with malnutrition and adverse growth effects in populations with high diarrhea morbidity rates. The immune response has been shown to be intimately involved with prevention of organism attachment to the intestinal epithelium, clearing of infection once it is established, and the development of protective immunity. Many unresolved issues remain regarding the immunologic response to parasitic infections. In addition, it is envisaged that future studies, using improved parasite detection methods, will shed light on the role of Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium in human disease. Some of the questions awaiting resolution relate to susceptibility of infection in certain population groups, the role of asymptomatic infection in parasite transmission, the association between G. lamblia infection and nutritional status in particular, and the pathogenic role of G. lamblia in endemic areas in general.
目前人们认识到，贾第虫感染在工业化地区对健康有相当大的影响，而贾第虫在流行地区的致病性尚未完全明确。在过去二十年中，隐孢子虫感染已成为发达国家和发展中国家共同关注的主要健康问题。此外，该病原体与持续性腹泻有关，并与腹泻发病率高的人群中的营养不良和生长发育不良有关。免疫反应已被证明与预防病原体附着于肠上皮、感染确立后清除感染以及保护性免疫的发展密切相关。关于对寄生虫感染的免疫反应仍有许多未解决的问题。此外，预计未来使用改进的寄生虫检测方法进行的研究将阐明贾第虫和隐孢子虫在人类疾病中的作用。一些有待解决的问题涉及某些人群的感染易感性、无症状感染在寄生虫传播中的作用、特别是贾第虫感染与营养状况之间的关联，以及贾第虫在一般流行地区的致病作用。
