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:
This disease may also affect the results of:
- Enteroscopy (A procedure to examine the small intestine)
- Stool tests including antigen tests, ova and parasite exam and the rarely performed string test.
- D-xylose absorption
- Small bowel tissue biopsy
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