Studies have shown that symptomatic
infection by Giardia lamblia causes acute or chronic
diarrhea,
dehydration,
abdominal pain and malabsorption, leading to
undernutrition and
weight loss. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of
giardiasis and its combination with a
low-protein diet on the intestinal absorption of
glucose and
electrolytes in gerbils. The intestinal absorption of
glucose,
sodium and
potassium was investigated in male gerbils weighing 46-64 g (n≥5). A Tyrode
solution containing twice the
glucose,
sodium and
potassium concentration (pH 7.4) was infused through the intestinal loops for 40 min.
Glucose absorption was not significantly affected by diet and
infection. However, there was a significant increase in
sodium absorption in the Giardia-infected group (57.2±6.1, p<0.05) in comparison to the control,
low-protein diet and low-
protein diet+Giardia-infected groups (8.9±6.5, 2.8±11.1 and 0.8±7.9, respectively; p<0.05). Moreover,
potassium was absorbed in the Giardia-infected group (0.45±0.30), while the other groups exhibited
potassium secretion. A
low-protein diet and
Giardia infection had no influence over
glucose absorption. However,
Giardia infection increased
sodium and
potassium uptake, suggesting a compensatory mechanism for maintaining homeostasis after likely
hypernatremia and
hypokalemia caused by the
diarrhea that accompanies
giardiasis.