Giardia lamblia
Giardia lamblia is a topic covered in the Johns Hopkins ABX Guide.
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MICROBIOLOGY
- Giardia lamblia (syn. G. duodenalis or G. intestinalis)
- Flagellated bi-nucleated protozoan (see figure)
- Most common intestinal parasite in North America.
- CDC image gallery at https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/giardiasis/index.html.
- Life cycle forms are: 1) highly infectious cysts, and 2) disease-causing trophozoites.
- Following excystation, trophozoites multiply and colonize the upper small intestine.
- Trophozoites with flat ventral surface adhere to brush border of enterocytes and cause malabsorption.[7]
- Transmitted by contaminated water, food, person-to-person, and fecal-oral contact.[6]
- Surface water is easily contaminated by cysts shed from mammalian hosts such as beaver, sheep, cattle, dogs, or cats.
- Highly contagious, low infective dose of 10 cysts.
- Occurs worldwide, specifically in settings of daycare centers, over-crowded areas with poor sanitation, and outdoor recreation or swimming pools.[6]
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MICROBIOLOGY
- Giardia lamblia (syn. G. duodenalis or G. intestinalis)
- Flagellated bi-nucleated protozoan (see figure)
- Most common intestinal parasite in North America.
- CDC image gallery at https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/giardiasis/index.html.
- Life cycle forms are: 1) highly infectious cysts, and 2) disease-causing trophozoites.
- Following excystation, trophozoites multiply and colonize the upper small intestine.
- Trophozoites with flat ventral surface adhere to brush border of enterocytes and cause malabsorption.[7]
- Transmitted by contaminated water, food, person-to-person, and fecal-oral contact.[6]
- Surface water is easily contaminated by cysts shed from mammalian hosts such as beaver, sheep, cattle, dogs, or cats.
- Highly contagious, low infective dose of 10 cysts.
- Occurs worldwide, specifically in settings of daycare centers, over-crowded areas with poor sanitation, and outdoor recreation or swimming pools.[6]
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