STUDIES ON GIARDIASIS

• Published in: Nihon Naika Gakkai Zasshi Vol. 47; no. 10; pp. 1300 - 1311
• Main Author: Araki, Tsuneji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine 10.01.1959
• ISSN: 0021-5384; 1883-2083
• DOI: 10.2169/naika.47.1300

Many reports on Giardia lamblia have been published since it was discovered by Lambl in 1859. However the pathogenesis of this disease has not been made clear because the pure culture of lamblia is not possible. The vegetative form of this protozoa was found in the duodenal contents of two patients who were initially diagnosed as having cholecystitis. Clinical considerations of the pathogenesis were carried out in this case. In the lst case, therapy consisted of oral administration of “Resochin” (Chloroquine-diphosphate) which showed good results. In an effort to investigate the pathogenesis of this disease, an attempt at pure culture was made using the vegetative form obtained from these patients. Five culture mediums tried were the modified V-Bouillon which I called L1-5 Bouillon. Following results were obtained: 1) The optimum pH of the medium for culture was found to be at 6.4. 2) Bouillons containing various concentrations of pig liver were tried and it was found that L4-Bouillon which contained 15 grams of pig liver per 100ml of water was the most suitable for culture. Distinct movement of the lamblia was observed for 12 days and on the second to the fourth day reproduction and multiplication-binary longitudinal fusion-of the vegetative form of the lamblia were seen. 3) As for the effect of antibiotics used in the culture solution to inhibit the growth of bacteria colimycin proved better than streptomycin. 4) Reproduction and multiplication of the lamblia were observed and its mode of reproduction was described. As noted above, I succeeded in culturing the lamblia for 12 days. However, the pure and continuous culture of this protozoa has not yet been accomplished. Further efforts are being made to study the pathogenesis of this disease.