Characterization of enteropathy in mice infected with Giardia duodenalis and treated with differing anti-parasite drugs

Our aim was to analyze the duodena of mice infected with Giardia duodenalis (assemblage A) after four different types of parasite treatment for enteropathy. Methods: Forty-eight male Swiss mice, 21 days of age, received 1000 parasite cysts orally. The animals were divided into six groups: negative (G1) and positive control (G2), and groups treated with nitazoxanide (G3), albendazole (G4), metronidazole (G5), and secnidazole (G6). After treatment they were sacrificed and the duodena were examined histopathologically. Results: In the positive control group G2, increased levels of neutral and acidic goblet cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes, and Paneth cells were found. There was a reduction in villus height and an increase in villus width; and crypts presented increased widths and depths. Hypertrophy in all layers of the intestinal wall and enterocytes was also observed. Conclusions: Metronidazole was the most effective in attenuating the enteropathy caused by G. duodenalis infection; reversing the increase in intraepithelial lymphocytes and Paneth cells, and attenuating the other elements investigated.