Giardiasis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Complications & Prevention

Giardiasis (Giardia Infection)-Medical & Health

What is Giardiasis?

Giardiasis is a common parasitic disease that causes diarrhea and stomach discomfort. It is a gastrointestinal infection caused by the protozoan Giardia duodenalis. Giardia parasites can spread via contact with infected individuals and through contaminated surfaces, food, and water.

It is a prevalent illness in low-resource environments that frequently manifests as watery diarrhea and flatulence. The illness is more common in foreign visitors, wilderness travelers, and daycare workers. Patients may have symptoms that are severe enough to cause dehydration and weight loss, even if they are frequently silent. Giardiasis is treatable with antibiotics. Nitroimidazole or antihelminthic drug therapy has a quick cure.

What is Giardia?

Giardia intestinalis is a parasite that is too tiny to be seen with the unaided eye. Both people and animals, including dogs, cats, and wild creatures, may be impacted. An organism that depends on another creature such as a person or animal—to exist is called a parasite.

What are the causes of Giardiasis?

G. lamblia can be found in both human and animal waste. These parasites may last for extended periods without a host and even flourish in contaminated food, water, and soil. Consuming these parasites by accident can result in illness.

Drinking water contaminated with G. lamblia is the most prevalent way to get giardiasis. Swimming pools, spas, and bodies of water like lakes may have contaminated water. Diapers, agricultural runoff, and animal feces can also be the sources of giardiasis contamination.

Giardiasis transmission via food is less prevalent because heat destroys the parasites. Poor hygiene while handling food or eating fruit washed in polluted water might cause the parasite to spread.

Furthermore, direct contact can spread giardiasis. Unprotected anal intercourse, for instance, can transmit the illness from one individual to another.

Other typical methods to get infected are changing a child's diaper or catching the parasite while working in a daycare facility. When using diapers or toilet training, children are likely to come into contact with feces, which puts them at increased risk for giardiasis.

What are the risk factors for Giardiasis?

Giardia is a very common intestinal parasite. Even if anyone can get giardia parasites, children are more vulnerable.

Children. Infection with Giardia is far more prevalent in children than in adults. Puppies are more likely to come into touch with excrement, particularly if they are in daycare, are potty training, or use diapers. Individuals who work or reside around young children are also more vulnerable to contracting giardia infection.
People without access to clean water for drinking. Anywhere there is poor sanitation or unsafe water to drink, giardiasis is prevalent. Traveling to areas where giardia infections are widespread puts you in danger, particularly if you don't watch what you eat and drink. Areas that are remote or wilderness have the highest danger.
People who engage in anal intercourse. Individuals who engage in anal or oral-anal intercourse without the use of a condom or other kind of protection are more vulnerable to contracting giardiasis and other STDs.

What are the symptoms of Giardiasis?

Even though they contain the parasite and can transfer it to others through their feces, some giardia infections are asymptomatic. If someone does become ill, signs and symptoms often show up one to three weeks following exposure and may include:

Diarrhea that is watery, occasionally smelly, and that can alternate with soft, greasy stools
Fatigue
Abdominal cramps and bloating
Gastric Distress
Nausea or vomiting
Headache
Loss of appetite
Excessive gas
Loss of weight

Giardia infection signs and symptoms can last anywhere from two to six weeks. Although, in some individuals, they may return or persist longer.

How is Giardiasis diagnosed?

Healthcare practitioners can identify giardiasis by examining your stool for the Giardia parasite. Every stool sample may not contain the parasite. Because of this, your doctor may require multiple samples to confirm a diagnosis.

If your symptoms are severe, your doctor may inspect your intestines with a small, flexible tube. It is known as an upper endoscopy. When a lab examines the microscopic biopsies taken during endoscopy, the parasites are frequently visible. To check for parasites, your healthcare professional could also remove a sample of your intestine's contents.

What is the treatment for Giardiasis?

Giardiasis usually goes away on its own with time. If your infection is serious or persistent, your doctor may recommend treatment. Instead of waiting for the condition to go away on its own, the majority of doctors will advise therapy with antiparasitic medications. Giardiasis is frequently treated with a few antibiotics:

The antibiotic metronidazole must be administered for a duration of five to seven days. It may make you nauseous and leave you with a metallic aftertaste.
Tinidazole frequently cures giardiasis with just one dosage, and it works just as well as metronidazole.
Since nitazoxanide comes in liquid form and only needs to be taken for three days, it's a popular choice for kids.
Compared to other antibiotics, pomomycin has a decreased potential to cause birth abnormalities; still, pregnant women should postpone taking any giardiasis therapy until after delivery. Over the period of five to ten days, this drug is administered in three doses.

What are the complications of Giardiasis?

In developed countries, a giardia infection is hardly ever lethal. However, it can result in serious complications and persistent symptoms, particularly in young children and newborns. The most typical complications consist of:

Dehydration. Dehydration happens when the body doesn't have enough water to perform its regular processes, and it frequently follows episodes of severe diarrhea.
Inability to thrive. Giardia infections that cause persistent diarrhea can stunt children's growth and cause malnourishment.
Lactose intolerance. The inability to correctly digest milk sugar or lactose intolerance, is a common complication of giardia infection. Long after the infection has disappeared, the issue can still exist.

Can Giardiasis be prevented?

Most of the time, giardiasis is preventable. The following are the best strategies to stay away from it:

Drinking water should be done with extreme caution. Never consume water from lakes, streams, or rivers.
Bring bottled water or boil the water before using it when you're camping.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water multiple times each day.
Avoid using non-boiled water to wash dishes or brush your teeth when traveling.
Before consuming raw fruits and vegetables, peel them.
Eat nothing that is undercooked.
Everyone in your home, especially the kids, is likely to contract giardiasis if one member of the family contracts it. It's critical to wash your hands frequently to stop the sickness from spreading.

FAQs about Giardiasis

What kills Giardia in humans naturally?

The parasite Giardia that causes gastrointestinal disorders in humans can be spontaneously eliminated in several ways. First and foremost, good hygiene practices, such as properly washing hands with soap and water, aid in preventing the parasite's spread. Furthermore, removing Giardia cysts from contaminated water sources can be achieved by boiling or filtering water before consumption. Some natural medicines have antibacterial qualities that may help remove Giardia, such as grapefruit seed extract or oregano oil. Furthermore, the body's resistance against parasite infections may be strengthened by taking probiotics and keeping a balanced gut flora. A healthy diet and adequate water help the immune system fight Giardia without the need for medication. Last but not least, protecting yourself from Giardia infections requires avoiding polluted water sources and handling food safely.

Can Giardia go away on its own?

Yes, sometimes Giardia infections heal on their own without the need for medical intervention. However, several variables, including the severity of the illness and the immune system of the individual, might affect the length of time and chance of spontaneous resolution. If symptoms increase or continue, it is still advised to consult a doctor to ensure an accurate diagnosis and, if needed, appropriate treatment.

What is the best treatment for giardiasis?

A Giardia infection can be treated with a variety of medications. Nitazoxanide, metronidazole, and tinidazole are effective therapies. Furazolidone, quinacrine, and paromomycin are among the other drugs.

What is the first-line Giardia treatment?

Since most people can get rid of the infection with just one dosage of tinidazole, it is the first-choice medication for treating giardiasis. Metronidazole, a comparable medication, works just as well but needs to be taken three times a day for five to seven days.

What is the diet for Giardia?

The goal of nutritional intervention is to lessen the acute Giardia symptoms and aid in the infection's clearance. The best way to do this is to eat a diet rich in whole foods, low in fat, lactose, and processed carbohydrates, and rich in fiber. Furthermore, eating wheat germ and probiotics aids in the removal of parasites.