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− | {{unfinished}} | + | {{Taxobox |
| + | |name =Giardia |
| + | |kingdom =Protista |
| + | |sub-kingdom =Biciliata |
| + | |phylum =Metamonada |
| + | |super-class =Eopharyngea |
| + | |class =Trepomonadea |
| + | |sub-class =Diplozoa |
| + | |super-order = |
| + | |order =Giardiida |
| + | |sub-order = |
| + | |super-family = |
| + | |family =Diplomonadidae |
| + | |sub-family = |
| + | |genus =Giardia |
| + | |species = |
| + | }} |
| + | [[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.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia'' - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]] |
| + | [[Image:Giardia cyst.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Giardia'' cyst - Courtesy of the Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine]] |
| + | ==Overview== |
| + | These protozoan parasite are found in humans as well as wild and domestic animals. They are a common cause of severe [[Diarrhoea|diarrhoea]] as part of the clinical symptoms [[Giardiasis|giardiasis]]. |
| + | |
| + | ==Recognition== |
| + | |
| + | ''Giardia spp.'' are flagellate protozoa with 8 flagella, 6 of which emerge from the body and are used in motility. They are 15-20μm long, pear shaped with a flat ventral surface. The most unique feature of this protozoa is the presence of a large adhesive disk in the flat surface that is used for attaching to the intestinal mucosa. |
| + | |
| + | ==Life Cycle== |
| + | |
| + | |
| + | |
| + | *Simple and direct |
| + | |
| + | *Trophozoites attach to intestinal wall |
| + | |
| + | *Reproduce by binary fission |
| + | |
| + | *Form cysts of 10μm |
| + | **Multi-nucleate cysts formed '''intermittently''' |
| + | **Immediately infective when passed in faeces |
| + | |
| + | *Prepatent period of 5-6 days |
| + | |
| + | ==Pathogenesis== |
| + | |
| + | *Commonest cause of protozoal [[Diarrhoea|diarrhoea]] of man in the UK |
| + | |
| + | *Common in domesticated animals |
| + | |
| + | *Infections often asymptomatic in domestic animals |
| + | **Can cause villous 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-borne) |
| + | |
| + | *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 |
| | | |
− | {{toplink | + | {{Learning |
− | |backcolour = | + | |flashcards = [[Giardia_Flashcards|Giardia Flashcards]] |
− | |linkpage =Parasites | + | |Vetstream = [https://www.vetstream.com/canis/search?s=protozoa Protozoa] |
− | |linktext =PARASITES
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− | |pagetype=Bugs | |
− | |sublink1=Protozoa
| |
− | |subtext1=PROTOZOA
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| }} | | }} |
− | <br>
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− | [[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]] | + | {{unfinished}} |
| + | [[Category:Miscellaneous_Protozoa]] |
| + | [[Category:To_Do_-_Parasites]] |