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| + | ==Recognition== |
| [[Image:Giardia cysts.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia'' cysts from gerbil faecea - H.D.A. Lindquist, U.S. EPA]] | | [[Image:Giardia cysts.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia'' cysts from gerbil faecea - H.D.A. Lindquist, U.S. EPA]] |
| [[Image:Giardia lamblia life cycle.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia lamblia'' life cycle - Wikimedia Commons]] | | [[Image:Giardia lamblia life cycle.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia lamblia'' life cycle - Wikimedia Commons]] |
| [[Image:Giardia lamblia.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia lamblia'' - Janice Carr]] | | [[Image:Giardia lamblia.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia lamblia'' - Janice Carr]] |
| [[Image:Giardia.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia'' - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]] | | [[Image:Giardia.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia'' - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]] |
| + | *Flagellate protozoa |
| + | |
| + | *Found in the intestine of humans |
| + | |
| + | *Associated with chronic [[Intestine Diarrhoea - Pathology|diarrhoea]] |
| + | |
| + | *Foundin both wild and domestic animals |
| + | |
| + | *15-20μm long |
| + | |
| + | *Pear-shaped |
| + | |
| + | *8 flagella |
| + | |
| + | *Large adhesive discs to hold onto intestinal mucosa |
| + | |
| + | ==Life Cycle== |
| + | |
| + | *Simple and direct |
| + | |
| + | *Trophozoites attach to intestinal wall |
| + | |
| + | *Reproduce by binary fission |
| + | |
| + | *Form cysts of 10μm |
| + | **Cysts formed '''intermittently''' |
| + | **Immediately infective when passed in faeces |
| + | |
| + | *Prepatent period of 5-6 days |
| + | |
| + | ==Pathogenesis== |
| + | |
| + | *Commonest cause of protozoal [[Intestine Diarrhoea - Pathology|diarrhoea]] of man in the UK |
| + | |
| + | *Common in domesticated animals |
| + | |
| + | *Infections often asymptomatic in domestic animals |
| + | **Can cause cillous atrophy leading to malabsorption |
| + | **Infection can persist for weeks to months if not treated |
| + | |
| + | ==Epidemiology== |
| + | |
| + | *Infection via direct oral-faecal route or through contaminated water source (water-bourne) |
| + | |
| + | *Wild animals may act as a source of infection for humans |
| + | **E.g. Beavers |
| + | |
| + | *Divided into 7 species |
| + | **''G. duodenalis'' most commonly infects humans |
| + | ***Some subspecies are zoonotic |
| + | |
| + | ==Diagnosis== |
| + | |
| + | *Faecal examination |
| + | **Cysts need to be distinguished from pollen grains and yeasts |
| + | |
| + | *Cysts excretion is intermittent |
| + | **Faeces need to be collected over a 3 day period |
| + | |
| + | *Cysts are '''heavy''' |
| + | **Needs higher density floatation fluids |
| + | **Do not float well in saturated sodium chloride solution |
| + | |
| + | *Immunoassays |
| + | **Detecting cyst antigen in faeces |
| + | |
| + | ==Control and Treatment== |
| + | |
| + | *Sanitation and hygiene |
| + | **Minimise risk of human infection |
| + | |
| + | *Boil (or sterilise through other means) drinking water in regions of the world where drinking water may be contmainated |
| + | |
| + | *Avoid uncooked foodstuffs |
| + | **Contaminated by washing |
| + | |
| + | *Treatments |
| + | **Metronidazole |
| + | ***Flagyl, Torgyl |
| + | **Fenbendazole |
| + | ***Panacur |
| + | |
| + | *[[Vaccines - WikiBlood|Vaccination]] |
| + | **Killed trophozoites |
| + | **Availbale in the USA for cats and dogs |
| + | **Decreases the excretion and viability of cysts |
| + | **Decreases environmental pressure |