Haneen Muneef Saab
Coll. Of Edu. For women/Bio. Dep./ Tikrit univ./Iraq
Dr. Ashraf Jamal Mahmoud Zangana
Coll. Of Edu. For women/Bio. Dep./ Tikrit univ./Iraq
Dr. Maksood Adel Mahmoud Al-Doori
Al-Dour Technical Institute/ Immediat Ambulance Dep. / Northern Tech. Univ., Iraq
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the impact of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia infections on various physiological and biochemical parameters in patients from Tikrit, Iraq. Blood and fecal samples were collected from male and female visitors of different age groups at Tikrit Teaching Hospital and private laboratories in Salah al-Din Governorate from December to April. The findings revealed no significant differences in cholesterol concentrations among individuals infected with E. histolytica or G. lamblia compared to healthy controls. Similarly, no significant differences were observed in triglyceride levels between infected and healthy groups, with values of 163.93 ± 13.05 mg/dl for E. histolytica-infected individuals, 158.40 ± 11.97 mg/dl for G. lamblia-infected individuals, and 172.57 ± 19.04 mg/dl for healthy individuals. However, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations showed a significant decrease in E. histolytica-infected individuals (34.59 ± 4.61 mg/dl) and G. lamblia-infected individuals (35.66 ± 4.92 mg/dl) compared to healthy controls (46.31 ± 5.89 mg/dl). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels did not significantly differ for E. histolytica infections (89.02 ± 18.29 mg/dl) but showed a significant increase in G. lamblia infections (110.60 ± 20.00 mg/dl) compared to healthy controls (75.62 ± 16.86 mg/dl). Very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels were similar across all groups, with no significant differences observed. A significant increase in coronary artery risk index was recorded in both E. histolytica (4.995 ± 1.080) and G. lamblia (4.668 ± 1.228) infections compared to healthy individuals (3.581 ± 0.646). Total protein levels showed no significant differences among E. histolytica (6.150 ± 1.294 g/dl), G. lamblia (5.664 ± 0.941 g/dl), and healthy groups (6.906 ± 2.004 g/dl). Notably, a significant decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels was observed in E. histolytica-infected individuals (11.43 ± 3.04), while G. lamblia-infected individuals exhibited no significant change (12.79 ± 3.07) compared to healthy controls (17.06 ± 4.86). These findings provide insights into the physiological effects of protozoan infections and their implications for disease management.
Keywords: Intestinal Parasites, Physiological Parameters, Entamoeba Histolytica, Giardia Lamblia.
