Giardiasis Causes, Symptoms & Treatment Options Explained

Causes and Symptoms of Giardiasis

Giardiasis infection is caused by a tiny parasite that spreads rapidly through dirty water, contaminated food, or contact with infected animals. The first and foremost important step towards managing this illness is analysing the Giardiasis symptoms in humans. These symptoms vary across individuals but usually affect the digestive system and cause discomfort. Being aware of the symptoms helps individuals receive timely help, preventing complications.

Continue reading this blog to learn about the symptoms of Giardiasis, how to prevent it, the treatment options, and others.

What is Giardiasis?

Giardiasis is a well-known intestinal infection caused by a microscopic parasite commonly known as Giardia. This parasite is present all over the world, especially in water bodies. If you swallow this parasite accidentally, it stays in your small intestine and keeps multiplying. Thereby, it leads to several intestinal symptoms such as gas and bloating, foul-smelling diarrhoea, nausea, cramps in the stomach and fatigue.

The symptoms of Giardiasis can be mild to severe, while some people do not even experience any symptoms. The infection clears itself within a few weeks, but people with weak immune systems take longer to clear it. Consulting with a healthcare professional might suggest antiparasitic medications to treat Giardiasis. Sometimes, even after treating the infection, people experience symptoms continually for weeks and months.

What are the Common Symptoms of Giardiasis?

Approximately half of the people do not experience Giardiasis symptoms. Some of the common symptoms of Giardiasis include:

Fatty and oily stool that floats
Watery type diarrhoea
Bloating and intestinal gas
Pain in the stomach and cramping
Increased fatigue
Loss of appetite and nausea

Common symptoms of Giardiasis experienced by only a few include:

Swelling around the eyes
Swollen joint
Itchy skin
Hives

Most of these symptoms usually create a lasting impact on people, while some of them experience short-term symptoms. Many of them lose weight from chronic diarrhoea and nausea. Sometimes, they also face difficulties in digestion because of lactose intolerance.

What Causes Giardiasis?

Giardia infection takes place when you ingest the microscopic parasite Giardia duodenalis, specifically during the cyst stage. These cysts resemble an egg capable of surviving in the wild until it finds a place to hatch. Once you swallow this parasite, the cyst settles down and begins to "hatch" in your small intestine. The parasite further feeds on nutrients and continues to multiply. Again, it returns into a cyst and ultimately passes out through poop.

How is Giardiasis Diagnosed?

If you are experiencing Giardiasis signs and symptoms and want a diagnosis, submitting stool samples is essential. A lab doctor will examine your stool sample to detect Giardia parasites.

If required, you might need to submit more samples during the process of treatment. Further, your healthcare professional can also perform an enteroscopy. This procedure includes inserting a flexible tube through your throat and into the small intestine. It provides the doctor with a clear image of the digestive tract.

What are the Treatment Options for Giardiasis?

Usually, Giardiasis clears up on its own. However, if you face a severe infection for a prolonged period, your healthcare consultant might suggest medications. The majority of doctors suggest treatment with antiparasitic drugs instead of leaving it to clear on its own.

Let's explore the different antibiotics doctors prescribe for treating Giardiasis:

Metronidazole antibiotic is to be taken consecutively for five to seven days. It causes nausea, and you can sense a metallic taste in your mouth.
Nitazoxanide is beneficial for children because it is available in liquid form. It is prescribed to take only for three days.
Tinidazole antibiotic similar to metronidazole and proves to be an effective treatment with a single dose.
Paromomycin causes a lower chance of birth defects than other antibiotics. Pregnant women, specifically, should avoid taking Giardiasis medication and wait until delivery. Doctors prescribe this medicine in three doses over 5 to 10 days.

What are the Complications of Giardiasis?

Giardiasis is a common intestinal infection, but if untreated, it can become chronic, though rare. This infection can last for years with repeated symptoms of vitamin deficiency, diarrhoea, and tiredness. In children, Giardiasis causes malnutrition and problems relating to growth and cognitive development.

Here are other complications which include:

Chronic fatigue
Long-period gastrointestinal problems

Studies reveal that Giardiasis also causes a higher risk of:

Complications of muscles
Eye problems
Symptoms of allergies, such as urticaria

How can Giardiasis be Prevented?

Here are the measures individuals should follow to prevent transmission of this infection to others.

Personal Hygiene: Wash your hands frequently to prevent germs from spreading further. Also, wash your hands after you use the bathroom and interact with animals.
Safe Practices: Clean and wash vegetables and fruits in running water. Avoid having raw foods and consuming tap water while travelling abroad, as there is a chance of contamination of local water.
Household Hygiene: Make sure to clean bathrooms regularly. If someone is sick, make it a habit to clean everything they touch, including linens.
Use of Safe Water: Be careful with the use of water while you are swimming in streams, natural ponds, and swimming pools if there is no filtering system. Water treatment with chlorine and iodine is not always enough to kill Giardia. In addition, make sure not to swallow water.

What are the Risk Factors of Giardiasis?

The Giardia parasite is quite common. However, the following people develop more risk of getting infected with Giardia:

Children

Chronic Giardiasis symptoms in adults are less common than in children. Children are more prone to contact with faeces, especially if wearing diapers or undergoing toilet training. Alongside this, people working with small children are also at high risk of contracting Giardia infection.

People having Anal Sex

People having anal sex or oral-anal sex without the use of any protection gets more infected with Giardia. There also lies the chance of sexually transmitted infections.

People Lacking Access to Safe Drinking Water

Giardia infection is more prevalent where there is inadequate sanitation or a lack of access to safe drinking water. You are prone to greater risk if you are travelling to places where Giardia infection prevails, especially if you are not careful about your eating habits. However, the risk is higher in rural areas.

Final Words

Understanding the Giardiasis symptoms is essential for diagnosis and treatment at an early stage. Symptoms such as cramps in the stomach, diarrhoea, and nausea are common, but there is a chance of causing severe infection.

Seeking medical help can help prevent the illness from spreading further. Opting for clean drinking water and maintaining good hygiene can reduce the risks of infection. If you are experiencing the underlying symptoms, make sure not to ignore them and consult a healthcare professional right away.