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Giardiasis
What is giardiasis?
Giardiasis is an intestinal illness characterized by diarrhea, bloating, abdominal cramping, and weight loss. Fever is rare. Occasionally, infected persons develop chronic diarrhea lasting several weeks or months, with significant weight loss. Many infected persons show no signs of illness. It is caused by a microscopic parasite called Giardia lamblia. It is the most common reported diarrheal illness in the U.S. The Nebraska Health and Human Services System receives an average of 350 reports of giardiasis each year. Illness occurs more often in the warm months. Infections may occur sporadically or in clusters or outbreaks.
Who is at risk for giardiasis?
Susceptibility to giardia is general, however it tends to occur more often in persons in daycare centers or institutions, foreign travelers, and persons who consume improperly treated surface water (water from lakes, rivers, streams).
How is it spread?
Giardia is passed in the stools of an infected person or animal which may contaminate food or water. Transmission is likely to occur in places (e.g., daycare centers) where handwashing practices are poor.
How soon do symptoms appear?
The incubation period for giardiasis ranges from 3-25 days, usually 7-10 days.
How long can an infected person carry giardia?
The carrier stage varies from person to person, generally from a few weeks to a few months. Treatment with antibiotics may shorten this stage.
Where is giardia found?
Both wild and domestic animals can carry and shed giardia, contaminating lakes, rivers, and streams. Infected persons, with or without symptoms, are also a very important reservoir for the parasite.
Should infected persons be excluded from work or school?
People with active diarrhea who cannot control their bowel habits (e.g. infants, young children, certain individuals with disabilities) need to be excluded from settings such as day care or group activities where they may present a risk to others. After they have been treated and have recovered, they may return to their normal activities. In some high-risk settings, some local health departments may require follow stool testing to confirm that the person is no longer contagious. Individuals not in high-risk settings may return to their normal activities providing they carefully wash their hands after using the toilet.
Can giardiasis be treated?
Some antibiotics such as atabrine, metronidazole, or furizolidone are often prescribed by doctors to treat giardiasis. Some people may recover on their own without treatment.
How can giardiasis be prevented?
1. Thoroughly wash hands with warm soapy water after using the toilet.
2. Carefully dispose of sewage and disposable diaper wastes so as not to contaminate surface or ground water.
3. Avoid consuming improperly treated water. Emergency water supplies are best boiled. Other, less effective, treatment methods include treating with hypochlorite or iodine (two to four drops of household bleach or 0.5 ml of 2% tincture of iodine per quart, or longer if the water is cold).
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