Do you also have frequent stomach upsets? Could this be a Giardiasis infection?

Have you ever had a stomachache, a feeling of bloating, or a feeling of being sick after a few days of traveling or drinking water from a less than clean place? We often think, "Oh... the food must have gone bad." But sometimes the cause of this can be something more serious, a tiny organism that we can't see with our eyes. That's the condition we're going to talk about today, Giardiasis.

Simply put, what is Giardiasis?

Giardiasis is an infection of the intestines. It is caused by a microscopic, single-celled parasite called Giardia intestinalis . This parasite can be found anywhere in the world where there is contaminated drinking water. It is one of the most common waterborne diseases.

Imagine, when this little creature enters our body, it attaches itself to the walls of our small intestine and begins to live. From there, it disrupts the functioning of our digestive system and causes us various symptoms.

What are the symptoms of this condition?

Symptoms usually appear within one to three weeks of infection. In most cases, symptoms can last from two to six weeks. Some people may have the infection without any symptoms, but they can still spread the disease to others.

Let's look at the table below to see what the most common symptoms are.

How does this disease spread to us?

This disease is spread through the feces of an infected person or animal. Let's see how this happens.

Before this parasite leaves the body with the feces, it forms a very strong protective shell around itself. We call this a cyst . Because of this shell, it can live outside the body, in water, or on any surface, for months without being destroyed. So, the infection occurs when we unknowingly put the contents of these cysts into our mouths.

Here are some of the main ways it can be transmitted:

• Drinking dirty water: Drinking untreated water from a lake, stream, or well that contains parasites. Using ice cubes made from such water.
• From an infected person: Close contact with someone who has giardiasis. The disease can be spread through objects they touch, especially if that person doesn't wash their hands thoroughly after using the toilet.
• Touching dirty surfaces: touching things like bathroom doorknobs, diaper changing areas, and toys that are contaminated with infected feces, and eating food without washing your hands.
• When swimming: When bathing in a pool, lake, or stream where the parasite may be present, unknowingly some water enters the stomach.
• Unclean food: Eating undercooked food contaminated with parasites.
• Traveling: There is an increased risk when traveling to countries where giardiasis is common.

Who is most at risk?

Although anyone can develop this disease, some people are more likely to be exposed to this parasite.

• Young children and their caregivers: Especially for children in daycare centers and parents and staff who change diapers.
• People living in the same household: If someone in the household gets infected, there is a high chance that others will also be infected.
• Tourists and hikers: For those who drink water from uncleaned waterways and springs.
• People who care less about personal hygiene: Those who don't wash their hands properly.
• People who engage in anal sex.

How does the doctor diagnose this? What is the treatment?

Diagnosis

When you go to the doctor, he will ask about your symptoms and, if he suspects that you have giardiasis, ask you to provide a stool sample . This is sent to a lab to be tested for the presence of cysts of the parasite in the stool. Sometimes, you may need to give samples for several days to be sure.

Treatment

Most people recover without treatment. However, if your symptoms are severe, or if you are at risk of spreading the infection to others, your doctor will prescribe medication. Metronidazole (Flagyl), Tinidazole (Tindamax), and Nitazoxanide (Alinia) are some of the most commonly used medications.

Are there any other complications that could arise from this?

Yes. Some problems can still occur after the infection has cleared up. These can be more serious, especially for babies and children.

• Dehydration: Loss of water from the body due to severe diarrhea. This can be dangerous.
• Failure to thrive: Persistent diarrhea can cause a child's body to not absorb nutrients properly. This can have a significant impact on the child's physical and mental development.
• Lactose intolerance: Some people who have this infection later have difficulty digesting milk and dairy products (such as cheese and yogurt). This means they cannot digest the sugar lactose found in milk.

Giardiasis, stomach ache, diarrhea, flatulence, water-borne diseases, parasitic infections