Reptiles and Amphibians Q&A 23

This question was provided by Manson Publishing as part of the OVAL Project. See more Reptiles and Amphibians Q&A.

This photomicrograph is of a trichrome-stained organism found in the faeces of an iguana.

Question	Answer		Article
What is your diagnosis?	Giardia lamblia. Note the twin eye-like anterior nuclei that characterise this organism.		Link to Article
Is this organism pathogenic?	Yes, particularly in stressed, immunocompromised patients, or in patients with other serious medical conditions.		Link to Article
If pathogenic, how would you treat this organism?	Treatment consists of metronidazole (125–250mg/kg orally every 48–72 hours for one to two weeks).		Link to Article
What advice would you give the owner?	Because Giardia can infect humans, great care must be taken to avoid faecal contamination of foodstuffs, food-preparation areas and utensils, and/or domestic water supplies.		Link to Article