GIARDÍASE COMO CAUSA POUCO FREQUENTE DE ANEMIA FERROPÉNICA GIARDIASIS AS AN UNCOMMON CAUSE OF IRON-DEFICIENCY ANEMIA

Giardiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the protozoan Giardia lamblia. It affects mainly children and immunocompromised patients. Clinical manifestations are variable and can consist in diarrhea, malabsorption, sometimes with iron deficiency anemia, or be asymptomatic. We describe a case of a female patient, 35 years old, nurse in a daycare center, referenced to the emergency department for anemia (hemoglobin 6.6 g/dL, on laboratory evaluation for investigation of asthenia and pallor with 2 months of evolution), without visible blood loss and in amenorrhea for 8 months. Laboratory investigation showed: severe microcytic hypochromic anemia and iron deficiency. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and histological examination revealed preservation of duodenal mucosal architecture and Giardia lamblia infection. She started treatment with iron and metronidazole, with clinical and laboratorial improvement. This case thus aims to highlight the importance of giardiasis in the differential diagnosis of intestinal malabsorption syndromes.