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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. |
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| Is this organism pathogenic? | Yes, particularly in stressed, immunocompromised patients, or in patients with other serious medical conditions. |
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| 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 | |
