Giardiasis
Giardiasis is a diarrheal illness caused by a one-celled, microscopic parasite, Giardia intestinalis. Giardia lamblia is a flagellated protozoan parasite that infects the gastrointestinal tract and causes giardiasis. Once an animal or person has been infected with Giardia intestinalis , the parasite lives in the intestine and is passed in the stool. Because the parasite is protected by an outer shell, it can survive outside the body and in the environment for long periods of time. Giardia infection has become recognized as one of the most common causes of waterborne disease in humans in the United States. The Giardia parasite lives in the intestine of infected humans or animals. Millions of germs can be released in a bowel movement from an infected human or animal. Giardia is found in soil, food, water, or surfaces that have been contaminated with the feces from infected humans or animals. Giardia can be spread by Eating uncooked food contaminated with Giardia.and Swallowing recreational water contaminated with Giardia. Recreational water includes water in swimming pools, hot tubs, jacuzzis, fountains, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, or streams that can be contaminated with sewage or feces from humans or animals. Giardia picked up from surfaces contaminated with feces from an infected person. Giardiasis may be spread in day care centers if workers aren't careful to wash their hands each time after changing diapers. Young children are three times more likely to have giardiasis than adults, which leads some experts to believe that our bodies gradually develop some form of immunity to the parasite as we grow older. But it isn't unusual for an entire family to have giardiasis, with some family members having diarrhea, some just crampy abdominal pains, and others with few or no symptoms.
Patients harbouring this protozoan can be asymptomatic carriers or exhibit all or some of the following symptoms: diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal pain and weight loss. There is no blood loss associated with the diarrhea, however, the stool characteristically has a fatty consistency as a result of fat malabsorption. This occurs in heavy infections where attached trophozoites can cover much of the intestinal epithelial surface. This disease is not generally fatal. Mechanical obstruction of the absorptive surface of the intestine has been proposed as a possible pathogenic mechanism, as has a synergistic relationship with some of the intestinal flora. The exact pathophysiology of giardiasis is unclear. Postulated mechanisms include damage to the endothelial brush border, enterotoxins, immunologic reactions, and altered gut motility and fluid hypersecretion via increased adenylate cyclase activity. Adhesion of trophozoites to the epithelium has been demonstrated to cause increased epithelial permeability. Giardia- induced loss of intestinal brush border surface area, villus flattening, inhibition of disaccharidase activities, and eventual overgrowth of enteric bacterial flora appear to be involved in the pathophysiology of giardiasis but have yet to be causatively linked to the disease's clinical manifestations. Most infections result from fecal-oral transmission or ingestion of contaminated water. Contaminated food is a less common etiology. Giardiasis does not have any race predilection. It can have high carrier rates within Native American populations residing on reservations
Causes of Giardiasis
Common causes of Giardiasis
- Infection.
- Stream water.
- Eating uncooked food.
- Swallowing.
Symptoms of Giardiasis
Common symptoms of Giardiasis
- Diarrhea.
- Stomach cramps.
- Upset stomach or nausea
- Weight loss.
- Dehydration.
- Watery stool.
- Lethargy.
- Fever.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Bloated sensation.
- Headache.
- Gas.
Treatment of Giardiasis
Common Treatment of Giardiasis
- Giardiasis is usually treated with a medicine called metronidazole. It's usually taken 3 times a day for 5 to 10 days. Side effects may include a metallic taste in the mouth or nausea.
- Young children may be treated with furazolidone.This medicine has fewer side effects and comes in a liquid form, but it shouldn't be given to babies younger than 1 month old.
- Antibiotics such as albenzazole are often prescribed by doctors to treat giardiasis. However, some individuals may recover on their own without medication.
- Drink fluids such as sports drinks, diluted fruit juices, flat soda.broth, soups, or preparations such as Pedialyte for children. Fluids should be taken in small amounts frequently throughout the day. Avoid fluids containing caffeine.
- Tinidazole has also demonstrated activity against the cyst stage of giardiasis in clinical use.
- More recently a peptide antibiotic, bacitracin, stabilized with zinc, has been shown to have a high efficacy against Giardia infections. In recent clinical studies all patients responded well to this treatment with final cure rates of over 94%. Side effects from this treatment were few.
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