The infestation of the intestinal tract of vertebrates with the tiny, single-celled parasite Giardia lamblia, which can cause severe diarrhoea. The main symptoms are abdominal swelling, diarrhoea, and intestinal gas. Unless treated, it may stunt growth in children and cause loss of weight in adults. Giarditis usually persists if the condition is untreated, resulting in severe anaemia and a reduced immune system. It is one of the few infections which can be transmitted from people to animals. It is named after the French biologist Alfred Giard (18461908).
GiardiasisClassifications and external resources
| ICD-10 | A07.1 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 007.1 |
| MedlinePlus | 000288 |
| eMedicine |
emerg/215 Giardiasis is passed via the fecal-oral route. People who spend time in institutional or day-care environments are more susceptible, as are travelers and those who consume improperly treated water. Symptoms include loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, explosive diarrhea, loose or watery stool, stomach cramps, upset stomach, bloating, and flatulence. Antibiotics used to treat adults include metronidazole, albendazole and quinacrine. Outside North America the drug Tinidazole trade name Fasigyn or Tindamax can treat Giardiasis in a single treatment of 2,000 mg instead of the longer treatment of the other medications listed, with less distress due to the shorter treatment duration. Tindamax is now approved by the FDA and is available to US patients. See http://www.fda.gov/Cder/consumerinfo/druginfo/tindamax.HTM According to http://home.utah.edu/~rfs4/jkm21.htm and http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berberys_pospolity, Berberis vulgaris can be helpful in treating Giardiasis. |
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