Summary
Giardiasis (beaver fever) is a parasitic disease that affects the digestive tract of many domesticated animals and human beings. The protozoan infection is common in humans across the globe. According to Erlandsen and Meyer, over “270 million people in the globe have symptomatic giardiasis” (19). It is also a common diarrheal disease. The disease can cause chronic complications or asymptomatic colonization. The disease also causes retardation in young children. The affected children are in every underdeveloped society. This paper offers a detailed discussion of giardiasis. The essay identifies the causal agent of this disease. The paper goes further to outline the symptoms and signs of the disease. The essay will also identify the treatment methods of the disease.
Causal Agent and Reservoirs
A flagellate protozoon causes this disease. The parasite is Giardia lamblia. This organism occurs in the digestive tract of the host. Another common “host for this organism is the beaver” (Erlandsen and Meyer 32). Human beings and domesticated animals are also important reservoirs for Giardia lamblia. Any animal or human being can ingest these oocysts. According to Erlandsen and Meyer, most of the “Giardia infections will remain asymptomatic” (34). The above fact explains why many animals and human beings act as carriers. Human beings can use this information to come up with the best precautions against the disease.
Disease Symptoms and Signs
The major symptoms associated with giardiasis occur when the organisms infect different cells and organs in the body. The affected body parts include the jejunum and the duodenum. The organisms block the absorption of nutrients. The common “symptoms associated with giardiasis include diarrhea, stomach cramps, and loss of appetite” (Erlandsen and Meyer 31). Bloating and excessive intestinal gases are also common. Different patients have reported sulfurous burping. The disease can cause different symptoms such as stomach pain and vomiting. The incubation period for giardiasis is 10-16 days. Most of the affected individuals are usually asymptomatic. About “thirty-five percent of the affected individuals will show most of the above signs and symptoms” (Nash et al. 24). According to Nash et al. (26), symptomatic attacks usually cause lactose intolerances. Studies have also explained why giardiasis can cause vitamin deficiency in the body. This deficiency occurs after the rate of intestinal absorption decreases.
Diagnostic Test
Physicians and nurses can diagnose giardiasis using different tests. The best diagnosis approach for this disease is antigen testing. The doctor examines a stool sample for the presence of the causal protozoan. Microscopic examination is also capable of diagnosing other pathogens. The other “common test is the examination of body fluids from the duodenum” (Erlandsen and Meyer 35). Doctors can also use the string test for this disease. Doctors can also use “a duodenal biopsy to detect the presence of any causal organism” (Erlandsen and Meyer 35).
Two Treatment Methods
There are different treatment methods for this disease. Treatment is “not recommended for this disease because it resolves on its own” (Erlandsen and Meyer 75). Doctors recommend some drugs when the disease becomes acute. The best method for treating giardiasis is the use of drugs. Tinidazole is effective for this disease. Adults should take 2g after meals. Another effective treatment method for the disease is Metronidazole. This is also a first-line treatment drug for giardiasis. The patient should take the drug for 5-6 days.
Mechanism of the Disease
The transmission of this disease occurs when a human being drinks contaminated food or water. The disease develops after the host ingests the cysts. These cysts survive in hot or cold water for several months. The ingested cysts will release trophozoites. These trophozoites multiply through “a process called binary fission” (Nash et al. 21). The parasites “move towards the large intestine” (Nash et al. 26). The disease also reduces the rate of absorption. The major “reservoirs include beavers, human beings, and domesticated animals” (Nash et al. 26).
Target Organs and Cells
The disease attacks different cells and organs in the body of the host. The disease attacks different intestinal cells. The other affected organs include the duodenum and jejunum. This infection of these organs and cells will block the rate of nutrient absorption (Nash et al. 27).
Diseases Confused With Giardiasis: Telling the Difference
There are certain diseases confused with giardiasis. Doctors should be able to tell the difference. Some diseases produce symptoms similar to those of giardiasis. Most of these diseases are confused with giardiasis. One of these diseases is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The symptoms of IBS are similar to those of giardiasis. The difference is that most of these symptoms disappear (and reappear) occasionally. The disease is also confused with Crohn’s disease. Lactose intolerances also produce similar symptoms and signs. This condition develops after a person consumes infected dairy products. Some bacterial infections associated with E. coli, Shigella, and Salmonella can cause similar symptoms. Doctors can tell the difference by examining the period of the symptoms (“Other Conditions with Symptoms Similar to Giardiasis” par. 1). The symptoms of giardiasis will last for a long compared to those of other diseases.
New Set of Treatments
There are new treatment methods for this disease. A good example is the use of Albendazole. This drug is as effective as Tinidazole. Studies have also supported the use of Quinacrine and Nitazoxanide. According to Nash et al. (25), every person should undertake the best measures in order to deal with giardiasis. Some good practices include boiling water and using chemical disinfectants.
Works Cited
Erlandsen, Stanely, and E. Meyer. Giardia and Giardiasis: Biology, Pathogenesis, and Epidemiology. New York: Springer Shop, 2010. Print.
Nash, Theodore, Christopher Ohl, Elaine Thomas, Gangadnaran Subramanian, Paule Keiser and Thomas Moore. “Treatment of Patients with Refractory Giardiasis”. Clinical Infectious Diseases 33.1 (2001): 22-28. Print.
Other Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Giardiasis 2014. Web.