How to Avoid a Traveling Vacation Catastrophe, Giardiasis, Caused by Questionable Sanitation Leading to Intestinal Infection and Diarrhea. More Common Than You May Think

The parasite, giardia lamblia, has two forms, one form is active as is called a trophozoite, while the other is inactive and is known as a cyst. The active form attaches to the small intestine lining with its sucker and is responsible for the giardiasis signs and symptoms. Fortunately the trophozoite cannot live very long outside the body so it is not contagious. However, the cyst can live for a long time outside the body. When the cyst is ingested the stomach acids actually activate it into an active trophozoite which is disease and symptoms causing. It only takes ten cysts being ingested to cause the infection.

The trophozoites not only cause the symptoms of giardiasis, but they also produce the inactive cysts that leave the body through feces and then spread the disease to others. Thus the infection is spread from person to person by contaminated food or water sources with feces, or by direct fecal-oral contamination.

Who is at risk for giardiasis?

So wherever there is inadequate sanitation or drinking water treatment giardiasis is going to appear. That is why it is called "travelers diarrhea" when people travel to less developed countries. For example, the Soviet Union, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and western South America.

Giardiasis is a common cause of diarrhea in day care centers because of the fecal-oral contamination children. The families and day care workers are all at risk. Children are actually three times more likely to develop this infection than adults.

Drinking from contaminated fresh water lakes and streams while out enjoying nature puts hikers at risk and people that practice anal/oral sex are also at risk of becoming infected.

What can you expect from this infection?

The most common and prevalent symptom of giardiasis is diarrhea, also abdominal pain and cramping, bloating. There may be nausea, and there may or may not be vomiting. Patients experience fatigue and general malaise. There usually is no fever. There may be associated weight loss from the interference of fat absorption from the intestine.

Signs and symptoms won't show up until at least seven days following contamination, and may be as late as three or more weeks later. If treated, it will usually last 2-4 weeks, but if untreated it could last for several months to literally years with continuing symptoms.

The antibiotic Flagyl (metronidazole) is the most common treatment and should be taken for 5-10 days. It is successful in treatment more than 85% of the time. However, despite its effectiveness, it is not approved in the United States for treatment of giardiasis.

The only drug approved in the United States is Furoxone (furazolidone). To be taken for 7-10 days. It is almost as effective as Flagyl.

There is also Tinidazole, available only outside the U.S. And it is highly effective, more than 90% success rate. It can be given as a single dose treatment and is well tolerated. If the infection is not eradicated, it may be necessary to use a combination of drugs.

What precautions should be taken not to acquire Giardiasis

So the obvious problem is simple avoidance of contamination in order to avoid contracting this very problematic infection. Only drink water from treated sources. If in doubt, boil or filter your water through a less than 1 micrometer pore. Do not drink untreated or boiled or filter water. Remember that ice, tea, coffee etc, are all made from water and be sure that water is treated, boiled or filtered. Also be aware of brushing your teeth in unclean water.

Be careful about eating unwashed, or unpeeled fruits or vegetables that may be grown where giardia might occur.

Wash your hands before eating, after diaper changes, using the bathroom. And avoid oral/anal sex.

Source:

Medicine Net