Giardiasis is one of the most common intestinal diseases that affects living beings; it is caused by a microscopic parasite (Giardia lamblia) that lives in the intestines of people and animals. This protozoan is found in food, on surfaces, on the ground or even in water that has been contaminated with the feces of infected animals or people and lays eggs that can survive in the environment for a long time. People become ill after ingesting the parasite and generally become infected by drinking contaminated water, attending day care centers, and making contact with sick family members. In developed countries, giardiasis affects about 2% of adults and 6-8% of children. On the other hand, in developing countries, where hygienic conditions are precarious, about 33% of people get sick. Fortunately, the infection usually clears up within a few weeks, although the adverse effects can last longer even after killing the parasite.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Recognizing the Symptoms
Step 1. Assess if you have been exposed to the Giardia parasite
One way to tell if you have giardiasis is to look at your past behavior in combination with your current symptoms and get a medical exam. The risk of developing the infection increases if you or any family member have been exposed to any of the following means of transmission:
- You have traveled to foreign countries or have had contact with international travelers, especially physical contacts.
- You have drunk water or used contaminated ice from dubious sources, such as rivers, streams, shallow wells, rainwater, which may have been polluted by infected animals or people; or you may have been drinking untreated (unboiled) or unfiltered water.
- You ate contaminated food, perhaps because someone handled it without washing their hands after changing diapers or defecating;
- You have come into contact with infected people, such as carers or family members of sick people;
- You have exposed yourself to contaminated feces through sexual intercourse;
- You have not washed your hands after touching infected animals or people;
- You have come into contact with children who use diapers and / or who go to kindergartens;
- You hiked and drank water from untreated sources.
Step 2. Look for physical symptoms
They could also be non-specific; in other words, they can be similar to those of other intestinal disorders or infections and usually occur one or two weeks after infection. This is called the incubation period, which is the time it takes for the parasite to cause symptoms. Typical ones are gastrointestinal disorders, including:
- Acute or chronic diarrhea with foul-smelling stools. During Giardia infection, the stool has a greasy appearance and it is very rare to find traces of blood. You may notice that diarrhea alternates between watery and greasy, foul-smelling stools floating in the toilet water;
- Cramps or abdominal pain
- Abdominal swelling
- Flatulence or more gas production than usual (abdomen may be swollen due to gas in the gut). Swelling, pain, and flatulence often occur together;
- Nausea and vomit;
- Lack of appetite;
- Belching of gas from the very bad smelling stomach.
Step 3. Pay attention to the secondary symptoms associated with the main ones
Diarrhea and other gastrointestinal upset can also cause other symptoms of the infection:
- Weight loss;
- Dehydration;
- Exhaustion;
- Mild fever or at least below 38 ° C;
- People over the age of 60 often have symptoms such as anemia, weight loss, and decreased appetite;
- Both very old and very young people are at particular risk of complications from these secondary symptoms.
Step 4. Be aware that symptoms may change or may not show at all
You may have complaints and then feel better, or you may alternate symptomatic phases with others in which you feel better for several weeks and months.
- Some people affected by the infection never develop symptoms, but they are still carriers of the parasite and could pass it on to others through their feces.
- Asymptomatic people, who have no symptoms, often recover spontaneously.
Step 5. Go to the doctor
To avoid spreading giardiasis, you need to get a medical diagnosis as soon as possible. Although the infection can be self-limiting and usually heals without consequences, you can reduce the severity of symptoms through early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Typically, the diagnosis is made through the analysis of a fecal sample, so you must be prepared to provide it; once you have a clear diagnosis of the infection, you should discuss the different treatment options with your doctor
Step 6. Get treatment
There are several prescription drugs indicated to eradicate the infection, including metronidazole and tinidazole. The effectiveness of different drug regimens varies based on different factors, such as the patient's medical history, nutritional status and immune system health.
- Babies and pregnant women are more likely to suffer from dehydration due to diarrhea. To prevent this disorder, those most at risk should drink plenty of fluids during the course of the disease; children should take age-appropriate electrolyte supplements, such as Pedialyte.
- If you work with children or handle food, you must stay home until the symptoms have disappeared for two days; the same is true for children who go to kindergarten. Otherwise, you can go back to work as soon as you feel good.
Part 2 of 2: Learning about Giardiasis
Step 1. Understand how it develops
Giardia is a tiny parasite found in food, soil, or water contaminated with feces from infected people or animals. The protozoan is protected by an outer shell which allows it to survive away from the host organism for a long time and which makes it tolerant to chlorine-based disinfectants. People become infected when they ingest these shells, and some can get sick by ingesting them in minute amounts, up to 10. The infected host organism can excrete one to 10 billion shells through stool over several months, especially if the infection is not treated..
Step 2. Learn how giardiasis is transmitted
The parasite is spread through contact with infected objects, food or water. It can also be transmitted from animals to humans and between people through oral-anal contact during sexual intercourse.
- Most often the infection spreads through water; in other words, the parasite travels and is carried by water. It could be different sources, such as the swimming pool, the whirlpool of the wellness centers, the wells, the streams, the lakes and even the water of the aqueduct; even the infected water used for washing food, making popsicles or cooking can cause concern.
- The people who are most at risk of getting giardiasis are individuals who travel to countries where the infection is quite widespread (especially in developing countries), those who work in kindergartens, those who are in close contact with infected patients, backpackers or campers who drink water from lakes or rivers and people who are in contact with sick animals.
Step 3. Know the long-term effects of the infection
In industrialized countries, the disease is almost never fatal; however, it can cause persistent symptoms and serious complications, including dehydration, poor physical development, lactose intolerance, among others.
- Dehydration can be the result of severe diarrhea. When your body doesn't have enough fluids to perform normal functions, you may have some serious problems. Lack of hydration can also lead to cerebral edema, i.e. swelling of the brain, loss of consciousness and kidney failure; if not treated promptly, severe dehydration can be fatal.
- Insufficient physical development can occur in children, the elderly, or immunosuppressed individuals. Malnutrition, understood as a consequence of poor absorption of nutrients and minerals due to infection, can damage the physical and mental development of children; in adults, it can manifest itself as a decline process, for example a decline in physical or cognitive functions.
- Once cured of giardiasis, some people suffer from lactose intolerance, the inability to properly digest the sugar in milk. The digestive process of this sugar usually uses the enzymes normally present in the intestinal tract; after eradicating the infection, the enzymes are no longer present and lactose intolerance can occur as a result.
- You may notice malabsorption, including a vitamin deficiency, severe weight loss, and physical weakness, among other symptoms.
Step 4. Take preventative measures
If you want to avoid getting sick or spreading the infection, you should stick to the following rules of caution.
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To prevent infection:
- Do not drink untreated water and do not use ice made with it, especially if you are in countries where the sources could be polluted;
- Make sure all fruits and vegetables are thoroughly washed with uncontaminated water and that they are peeled or peeled before eating them;
- Avoid eating raw foods when going to places where water may be unsafe;
- If the water you use comes from a well, have it analyzed; test it often if it is in an area where animals graze.
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In order not to spread the infection:
- Do not expose yourself to fecal material;
- Use a condom or dental dam during oral or anal intercourse;
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after going to the bathroom, changing a diaper, or coming into contact with fecal matter.
- Don't enter water sources for fun, such as hot tubs, pools, lakes, rivers, streams, or the ocean if you have diarrhea. you should avoid entering the water until at least two weeks have passed without symptoms.
Advice
- When traveling to developing countries it is important to take precautions regarding water sources. Pay attention to that of the swimming pool, the municipal aqueduct, spas, as well as raw foods washed with water, such as salads.
- Most infections are self-limiting, meaning they heal on their own within a few days or weeks. If it persists, giardiasis can cause constant, intermittent or sporadic chronic diarrhea; in between diarrheal fits, the stool may look normal and on other occasions the person may even complain of constipation.
