Giardiasis

Overview

Disease caused by the infectious agent, Giardia.

Diagnosis

• Faecal examination
  • Cysts need to be distinguished from pollen grains and yeasts

• Cyst excretion is intermittent
  • Faeces need to be collected over a 3 day period

• Cysts are heavy
  • Needs higher density flotation fluids
  • Do not float well in saturated sodium chloride solution

• Immunoassays
  • Detect 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 contaminated

• Avoid uncooked foodstuffs
  • Contaminated by washing

• Drug Treatments
  • Metronidazole
    • Flagyl, Torgyl
  • Fenbendazole
    • Panacur

• Vaccination
  • Killed trophozoites
  • Available in the USA for cats and dogs
  • Decreases the excretion and viability of cysts
  • Decreases environmental pressure