Structure of Giardia

http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/File:Giardiastructure.gif

Who's at Risk?

Everyone is at risk for catching Giardia. This parasite mostly impacts children, people recovering from sicknesses and elderly people. 

Where is this parasite found?

• Soil
• Food
• Water
• Anything that could have been contaminated with the feces from infected humans or animals.

-In a broader sense, this parasite can be found WORLDWIDE-

Feeling Sick?

Symptoms:

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Gas or bloating
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Low-grade fever
• Nausea
• Swollen abdomen
• Vomiting

    

Useful Facts:

• Giardiasis is caused by microscopic Giardia.
• Hosts can include humans and animals.
• This parasite attaches itself to the small intestine, and sabotages the body's absorption of fats and carbohydrates from digested foods.
• Medical treatment for this disease is common in most areas.

Causes

Some possible causes for this sickness are:

• Drinking water from lakes or streams (normally from water dwellers)
• Direct person to person contact
• Insect bites (usually from insects that live near the polluted body of water)

Still Not Sure?

Exams and Tests:

• Enteroscopy (A procedure to examine the small intestine)
• Stool tests including antigen tests, ova and parasite exam and the rarely performed string test.

This disease may also affect the results of:

1. D-xylose absorption
2. Small bowel tissue biopsy

Video(s)

Giardiasis - HealthyKidTips.com

FAQ

How is Giardiasis diagnosed?

Giardiasis or infection with Giardia is diagnosed by performing a microscopic examination of a stool sample. The cysts are quite small and usually require a special floatation medium for detection, so they are not normally found on routine fecal examinations. Occasionally, the parasites may be seen on a direct smear of the feces. A blood test is also available for detection of antigens (cell proteins) of Giardia in the blood.

How is Giardiasis treated?

The typical drug used to kill Giardia is metronidazole, an antibiotic. It is normally given for 5-7 days to treat giardiasis. Other drugs are also used if diarrhea and dehydration occur. If metronidazole is not effective, other medications may be recommended.

How common is Giardiasis?

Giardiasis is found throughout the U.S. High rates of infection have been documented among children in day care centers, institutions, and on Native American reservations. Outbreaks occur most commonly from July through October. In some parts of the world, especially in developing countries, giardiasis is an endemic disease ( that is, the virus is constantly present with low levels of infection ). In these areas, many infected persons may have no signs of illness, even though they carry the parasite.