Giardia cell viewed with scanning electron microscope
Specialty
Infectious disease, gastroenterology
Symptoms
Diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea[1]
Usual onset
1 to 3 weeks after exposure[2]
Causes
Giardia duodenalis spread mainly through contaminated food or water[1]
Risk factors
Hypogammaglobulinemia
Diagnostic method
Stool testing[1]
Differential diagnosis
Irritable bowel syndrome[1]
Prevention
Improved sanitation[1]
Treatment
Antiprotozoal medications
Medication
Tinidazole, metronidazole[1]
Frequency
Up to 7% (developed world), up to 30% (developing world)[1]
Giardiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia and G. intestinalis).[3] Infected individuals who experience symptoms (about 10% have no symptoms) may have diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and weight loss.[1] Less common symptoms include vomiting and blood in the stool.[1] Symptoms usually begin one to three weeks after exposure and, without treatment, may last two to six weeks or longer.[4]
Giardiasis usually spreads when Giardia duodenalis cysts within faeces contaminate food or water that is later consumed orally.[1] The disease can also spread between people and through other animals.[1] Cysts may survive for nearly three months in cold water.[1] Giardiasis is diagnosed via stool tests.[1]
Prevention may be improved through proper hygiene practices.[1] Asymptomatic cases often do not need treatment.[1] When symptoms are present, treatment is typically provided with either tinidazole or metronidazole.[1] Infection may cause a person to become lactose intolerant, so it is recommended to temporarily avoid lactose following an infection.[1] Resistance to treatment may occur in some patients.[1]
Giardiasis occurs worldwide.[5] It is one of the most common parasitic human diseases.[3] Infection rates are as high as 7% in the developed world and 30% in the developing world.[1] In 2013, there were approximately 280 million people worldwide with symptomatic cases of giardiasis.[3] The World Health Organization classifies giardiasis as a neglected disease.[1] It is popularly known as beaver fever[6] in North America.
^"Giardia. General information". CDC. 21 July 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^ abcEsch KJ, Petersen CA (January 2013). "Transmission and epidemiology of zoonotic protozoal diseases of companion animals". Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 26 (1): 58–85. doi:10.1128/CMR.00067-12. PMC 3553666. PMID 23297259.
^Cite error: The named reference CDCSymptoms was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference CDC_Giardiasis was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Giardiasis (beaver fever)". New York State Department of Health. January 2022. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
people worldwide with symptomatic cases of giardiasis. The World Health Organization classifies giardiasis as a neglected disease. It is popularly known...
known as giardiasis. The parasite attaches to the intestinal epithelium by an adhesive disc or sucker, and reproduces via binary fission. Giardiasis does...
reproduce in the small intestines of several vertebrates, causing the disease giardiasis. Their life cycle alternates between a swimming trophozoite and an infective...
endocarditis, and bacterial vaginosis. It is effective for dracunculiasis, giardiasis, trichomoniasis, and amebiasis. It is an option for a first episode of...
include targeting giardiasis, where mepacrine is indicated as a primary agent for patients with metronidazole-resistant giardiasis and patients who should...
which causes tularemia; the protozoan Giardia duodenalis, which causes giardiasis (beaver fever); and the beaver beetle and mites of the genus Schizocarpus...
campylobacteriosis, mycobacteriosis (avian tuberculosis), avian influenza (bird flu), giardiasis, and cryptosporidiosis over long distances. Some of these are zoonotic...
H. pylori infections in children. Furazolidone has also been used for giardiasis (due to Giardia lamblia), amoebiasis, and shigellosis, also though it...
in lamina propria Section of duodenum of cat. X 60 Micrograph showing giardiasis on a duodenal biopsy (H&E stain) Duodenum with brush border (microvillus)...
act as pathogenic parasites to cause diseases like malaria, amoebiasis, giardiasis, toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis, trichomoniasis, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis...
treat COPD), and other drugs. Bronchospasms can present as a sign of giardiasis. Some factors that contribute to bronchospasm include consuming certain...
laxatives, antifungal medicines or statins. Some infections, such as giardiasis, are also associated with flatulence. Interest in the causes of flatulence...
taeniasis, clonorchiasis, opisthorchiasis, cutaneous larva migrans, giardiasis, and gnathostomiasis, among other diseases. Common side effects include...
are idiopathic disorders that the Rome process has helped to define. Giardiasis is a disease of the small intestine caused by a protist parasite Giardia...
mucus coating. Yellowing of feces can be caused by an infection known as giardiasis, which derives its name from Giardia, an anaerobic flagellated protozoan...
pathogens are human parasites, causing serious diseases such as malaria, giardiasis, toxoplasmosis, and sleeping sickness. Some of these protozoa have two-phase...
nitazoxanide do not significantly differ from a placebo treatment for giardiasis; these symptoms include stomach pain, headache, upset stomach, vomiting...
Cyst and imago of Giardia lamblia, the protozoan parasite that causes giardiasis. The species was first observed by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1681....
Antiprotozoals are used to treat protozoal infections, which include amebiasis, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, microsporidiosis, malaria, babesiosis, trypanosomiasis...
caused by protozoa has been proposed. Protozoan infection Babesiosis Giardiasis Baron, S. (1996), Baron, Samuel (ed.), "Introduction to Parasitology"...
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