Giardiasis is an infectious disease caused by the protozoa Giardia lamblia, which can occur from the ingestion of cysts of this parasite present in contaminated water, food or objects.
Giardia lamblia infection is more common in children and may be noticed by the onset of certain symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, yellow stool, abdominal pain and swelling, so it is important to consult your doctor so treatment can be started.
- To treat giardiasis.
- Your doctor may recommend parasite-fighting medications.
- Such as metronidazole.
- Senidazole or tinidazole.
- And it is also recommended to rest and consume fluids to minimize dehydration caused by diarrhea.
Symptoms of giardiasis usually occur 1 to 3 weeks after infection, but most patients, especially adults, end up showing no symptoms of the disease due to the more developed immune system, so it is important to be aware of giardiasis symptoms especially in children, such as:
These symptoms may appear suddenly or gradually, and the longer it takes to identify the disease, the more likely the patient is to develop problems such as malnutrition and anemia, due to poor absorption of nutrients in the intestine.See 5 other symptoms that may indicate worms.
Diagnosis of giardiasis is based on the symptoms and clinical evaluation of the patient by the doctor, and it is also necessary to perform the stool test, which identifies the presence of parasitic cysts in the stool.Understand how the stool test is performed.
However, it is not uncommon for the test to be negative, even in the presence of an infection, so it is often necessary to repeat the test or perform other types of tests using more reliable methods, such as immunological tests on blood and stool or even collection by aspiration or intestinal biopsy.
Transmission of giardiasis occurs through ingestion of mature Giardia cysts, which can occur in the following ways:
In addition, pets can also become infected and transmit Giardia cysts, so they should be treated if suspected.
Treatment of giardiasis is done with the use of drugs that fight the protozoa responsible for the disease, such as metronidazole, tinidazole, senidazole or i imitazole, for example, guided by the doctor.
In general, treatment lasts 1 to 5 days, depending on the medicine used and the clinical condition of the person, however, in persistent or recurrent cases, the doctor may prescribe the use of medicines for up to 3 weeks.Learn more about the remedies for each type of worm and how to take them.
In addition, hydration with fluid intake and, in the most severe cases, even with serum in the vein, may be necessary due to dehydration caused by diarrhea.
To prevent giardiasis, hygiene measures are needed, such as always washing your hands before making water in your mouth, properly washing vegetables, especially those eaten raw, treating dogs and cats that may be contaminated, as they can transmit diseases, as well as properly treating water.before drinking it, for example by boiling or filtering it.Find out what are the main ways to treat water and make it drinkable.