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4. Giardia
Giardia is a parasitic protozoan
fl agellate. Giardia is common in all
parts of the world and the incidence
is infection is high: one in fi ve people
in the world is infected with giardia,
and this fi gure increases consider-
ably every year. Giardia prevalence
among children varies from 27-70%.
Humans are the source of infection (patient or carrier). Infec-
tion occurs through the mouth by ingestion of food or water
contaminated with giardia, and when passing giardia to the
mouth with dirty hands. It has been established that the chlo-
rine, most commonly used for water purifi cation, does not have
any destructive eff ects on giardia cysts.
The disease caused by giardia is called giardiasis.
Giardia parasites live in the small intestine, bile ducts and gall
bladder. Once in the gastrointestinal tract, they multiply very
quickly, irritating the mucous membrane.
Giardia exists in two forms: vegetative (mobile) and in the
form of cysts.
Symptoms. When people are infected with giardia, there is
pain in the upper abdomen, around the navel, rumbling and
bloating of the stomach. There may be constipation alternating
with diarrhea (the feces are yellow with mucus). Giardiasis can
cause duodenitis, pancreatitis, enteritis, hepatitis and chole-
cystitis, a manifestation of the disease of local character. Often
giardiasis hepatitis is observed: liver enlargement and indura-
tion. Often it is associated with lesions of the pancreas.