Giardiasis
Introduction.
Giardiasis, also known as beaver fever because of its
wilderness prevalence and animal reservoir (zoonotic), is an intestinal
infection caused by the flagellated protozoan Giardia lamblia.
Only 10 - 25 cysts are sufficient to cause infection. Giardia cysts are
resistant to chlorination. Symptoms include foul-smelling diarrhea.
Summary
- Cause: Giardia lamblia
- Microscopy: Flagellated protozoan, sucking disk for attachment,
"2 eyes"
- Transmission: Contaminated water (wilderness); animal reservoir (zoonotic)
- Life
cycle
- Symptoms: foul-smelling diarrhea, cramps, flatulence, fatty stools
- Complications: Severe malabsorption disease
- Pathogenesis: Cysts hatch after passage through stomach;
trophozoites have sucking disks to attach to intestinal lining, resulting in
malabsorption of nutrients
- Treatment: Quinacrine or metronidazole