Giardiasis (say "jee-ar-DYE-uh-sus") is an infection of the intestines caused by the parasite Giardia lamblia. The illness is also called giardia (say "jee-AR-dee-uh").
Giardia can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, gas, and nausea. You may feel sick once and then get better. Or your symptoms may come and go for some time. Some children with giardia do not grow or gain weight normally. Sometimes giardia does not cause any symptoms.
You may become infected with giardia if you eat food or drink water that is tainted with human or animal waste. In the United States and Canada, you can get giardia by drinking untreated water from wells, streams, rivers, and lakes. You also can get giardia from close contact with someone who is infected, such as from working in a day care center or nursing home.
Giardiasis (also called giardia) is an illness caused by infection with the parasite Giardia lamblia, also known as Giardia intestinalis. Giardiasis is usually caused by drinking water that is contaminated with the parasite. In the United States, G. lamblia is most often found in untreated streams, rivers, and lakes.
Symptoms of giardiasis include diarrhea, a lot of gas (flatulence), abdominal cramps, and nausea. In some people, giardiasis does not cause any symptoms. In other people, the symptoms may keep coming back (recurring).
Infection with the parasite can be prevented by hand-washing and by treating water taken from rivers, lakes, or streams before drinking it or using it to cook, wash dishes, or brush teeth.
Symptoms of giardiasis may go away on their own. But medicine can relieve the discomfort and prevent the spread of the illness.
Giardiasis can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, gas, and nausea. You may feel sick once and then get better. Or your symptoms may come and go for some time. Some children with giardiasis don't grow or gain weight normally. Sometimes giardiasis doesn't cause any symptoms.
If you have symptoms, your doctor may prescribe medicine to kill the parasite. It's important to take the medicine for as long as prescribed, so the infection doesn't return.
You can manage your symptoms at home.
Some people with giardiasis have temporary trouble digesting milk and milk products (lactose intolerance). If you have this problem, avoid these foods for at least 1 month. Then slowly add them back into your daily meals as your body can handle them.
If you don' t have symptoms, there is usually no treatment. But your doctor may give you medicine to lower the chance that you will pass the infection to others.
To help prevent giardiasis, don't drink untreated or unpurified water or use ice cubes made from this type of water. If you're camping or hiking, boil or purify water from lakes and streams before drinking it. Wash your hands often while around anyone who is infected. In risky areas, avoid raw fruits and vegetables.
To diagnose giardiasis, your doctor will test your stool for the parasite that causes the infection. Your doctor will also ask questions about your past health and do a physical exam.
In some cases, you may be tested for giardiasis even though you don't have any symptoms. For example, this could happen during an outbreak at a day care center.
Your doctor may prescribe medicine to kill the parasite that causes giardiasis. Treatment also lowers the chance that you will pass giardia to others. It's important to take the medicine for as long as prescribed so the infection doesn't come back.
You may become infected with giardia if you eat food or drink water that is tainted with infected human or animal waste. This is why it is important to drink treated or filtered water. Giardia can also be spread through close contact with an infected person or in day care centers or nursing homes.
Giardiasis (say "jee-ar-DYE-uh-sus") is an infection of the intestines caused by the parasite Giardia lamblia. The illness is also called giardia (say "jee-AR-dee-uh"). It can happen if you drink water that has been contaminated.
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