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Giardiasis

Marie L Borum, MD, EdD, MPH and Nouf O Turki, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Giardia lamblia (also known as Giardia duodenalis or Giardia intestinalis) is a protozoan pathogen that leads to intestinal infection and is one of the most common causes of diarrhe...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Acute Giardiasis

    • 50–75% of infected people are asymptomatic (4).

    • Symptomatic infections occur more frequently in children than adults (4). 

    • Symptoms usually appear 1 to 2 weeks after e...

TREATMENT

Outpatient for mild cases; inpatient if symptoms are severe enough to cause dehydration warranting parenteral fluid replacement 

GENERAL MEASURES

  • No treatment is required in asymptomatic patie...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

Monitor symptoms, weight, and stool exams, particularly if patients fail to improve. 

DIET

Low lactose/lactose free for at least 1 month; low-fat ...

REFERENCES

1
Minetti C, Chalmers RM, Beeching NJ, et al. Giardiasis. BMJ. 2016;355:i5369. 
2
Adam RD. Giardia duodenalis: biology and pathogenesis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2021;34(4):e0002419. doi: 10.1128/C...

ADDITIONAL READING

Fink MY, Singer SM. The intersection of immune responses, microbiota, and pathogenesis in Giardiasis. Trends Parasitol. 2017;33(11):901–913.  

SEE ALSO

Algorithm: Diarrhea, Chronic 

CODES

ICD10

  • A07.1 Giardiasis [lambliasis]

SNOMED

  • 58265007 Giardiasis

  • 10679007 Infection by Giardia lamblia

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Daycare facilities and public swimming pools are common sources of Giardia transmission (a history of camping or recent travel is not required for the diagnosis).

  • Abdominal bloating and...

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