Signs and Symptoms of Giardiasis

Signs and Symptoms of Giardiasis

Giardiasis is an infection of the small bowel which is caused by the zoonotic parasite Giardia lamblia(sometimes also called as Giardia intestinalis and Giardia duodenalis). The parasite is a flagellate protozoan so that is a single celled organism. The infection of this disease mainly occurred due to the ingestion of the contaminated water through which this causative agent enters to the human body and results into the outcome of this disease after few successive steps. There are some causes which are mainly responsible for the outcome of this disease is drinking of contaminated water came from water supply which contains this protozoa, contaminated foods that is vegetable washed with contaminated water, exposed to manure or prepared by any infected person, and poor hygiene which is mostly seen in nursing homes, day care centres & in sexually active homosexual males. 

If anyone gets contacted with infected stool may be affected by this disease as the protozoon is present in the stool of any person who is affected by this disease. The methods which is usually used to diagnose this disease are examination of stools of the suspected person by professionals to visualize the cysts of the protozoa, antigen assay of stool to detect certain proteins which are present in the cell wall of Giardia, & string test through which the secretions and mucous collected from the wall of the small bowel. The preventions which can be taken to reduce the chance for being affected by this disease are filter and boil water before drinking, wash vegetable with pure water, avoiding risky sexual behaviours etc.

                     Being a zoonotic disease the signs and symptoms of this disease can be easily visualized. The symptoms of this disease usually develop within 9-15 days after the exposure to the protozoan but sometimes it takes 1-2 days for the appearance of the symptoms after the exposure. The symptoms mainly arise due to the affection of the gastrointestinal system. It is reported recently that the symptoms appears in one third of the total persons who are affected by this disease. Some of the mostly reported symptoms are described in brief in the following:

 

• ·         Loss of appetite causes as a preliminary symptom of this disease which final leads to weakness of the body due to lesser intake of food substances.
• ·         Diarrhoea may be caused in case of severe affection by the protozoan in the later stage of the disease.
• ·         The protozoon affects the cells of duodenum and jejunum of the small intestine which caused stomach upset and the stomach cramps too.
• ·         Excessive production of gas in the intestine is occurred which sometimes may also results into projectile vomiting but this phenomena is quite rare.
• ·         Burping (often sulphurous) as well as production of loose or watery stool is occurred which finally results into the blocking of absorption of the nutrients into the blood.
• ·         Bloating is also reported as one of the important symptom of this disease which appeared usually in the final stage of this disease.