Question

What parasite causes giardiasis? How is it transmitted and what are the typical manifestations of the disease?

Answer 1

What parasite causes giardiasis?

Giardiasis is caused by the organism Giardia lamblia.

How is it transmitted and what are the typical manifestations of the disease?

The mode of transmission of this disease is via the fecal oral route, by cyst ingestion. This occurs via either personal contact with contaminated food and water. This organism is found in the contaminated food, water or through people who have been infected. The modes of transmission are identified as follows:

• Waterborne transmission: this is the most common route, where people drinking from contaminated streams or reservoirs or wells could become infected. Contaminated water that are used for preparation of raw food may also be a one of the sources of infection.
• Foodborne transmission: this organism is killed by heat, and hence is not found in properly cooked food. Uncooked food may be the source of infection or the food that gets contained after it is cooked.
• Person to person transmission: this occurs when infected feces might travel between people to people. If a person does not maintain their hygiene or does not wash their hands after using washrooms or changing diapers of infected children.

Signs of symptoms of giardiasis:

• Symptoms may be none to severe diarrhoea
• There is poor absorption of nutrients
• There is blocking of nutrient absorption by presence of Giardia lamblia in the duodenum and jejunum cell’s.
• There may be certain symptoms such as lactose intolerance and these symptoms might become permanent.