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What's eating you? An update on Giardia, the microbiome and the immune response

Steven M Singer1, Vanessa V Angelova1, Heriberto DeLeon1

  • 1Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.

Current Opinion in Microbiology
|October 14, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Giardia intestinalis infections vary widely, from causing diarrhea and stunting to potentially protecting against severe diarrhea. Understanding parasite, microbiome, and immune interactions is key to explaining these diverse outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Giardia intestinalis, a protozoan parasite, has been known since the microscope's invention.
  • Initially unrecognized as a pathogen, human infections in the 1950s confirmed its role in diarrheal illness.
  • While known to cause malabsorptive diarrhea and stunting in children, many infections are asymptomatic or even protective against severe diarrhea.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent research on Giardia intestinalis infection outcomes.
  • To explore the mechanisms behind the varied clinical presentations of Giardia infections.
  • To highlight the interplay between the parasite, host microbiome, and immune response.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on Giardia intestinalis.
  • Analysis of host-parasite interactions.
  • Examination of the role of the host microbiome and immune system.

Main Results:

  • Giardia infections exhibit a broad spectrum of clinical outcomes.
  • Asymptomatic infections are common, and some evidence suggests a protective role against other diarrheal diseases.
  • Interactions between Giardia, the gut microbiome, and host immunity significantly influence disease manifestation.

Conclusions:

  • The variability in Giardia intestinalis clinical outcomes is a complex phenomenon.
  • Further research into the interactions among the parasite, microbiome, and immune system is crucial.
  • Understanding these interactions may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for Giardia infections.

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