January 12, 2008
Giardia:
your health’s rival
A
CubaNews translation by Ana Portela.
Edited by Walter Lippmann.
Giardiasis is a disease transmitted through the digestive tract through drinking
or eating contaminated water and food.
Doctor
Angel Escobedo Carbonell, Medical Microbiology specialist and master in
epidemiology of the Pedro Borras hospital and Pedro Almirall Carbonell,
specialist in Internal Medicine at the Pedro Kouri Institute.
“This bug
is very bad – some say –. “ Its hard to control,” when they refer to this tiny
parasite that has been known to scientists and physicians for more than 300
years and have called it Giardia lamblia or Giardia duodenalis. Behind these
complicated names is a rival of human health regardless of age. It is not a
virus or bacteria; it is a protozoa, in other words, a unicellular organism that
causes a disease known as giardiasis.
Giardiasis
is a disease transmitted through the digestive system that is usually caused by
drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated foods.
Transmission can also occur through an oral-anal sexual relation in which the
parasite can pass from an infected person to the mouth of a healthy person.
Contagion occurs if introduction to the mouth of something that has been in
contact with fecal matter of someone with Giardia; a good example is when a
child with diarrhea due to this disease contaminates a toy and later another
plays with the same object, putting it in his mouth.
Once
inside the body, the parasite lives attached to the small intestine where it can
absorb nutrients. Although all persons are susceptible to an attack by Giardia,
the largest risk is to small children – specially those cared for in day care
nurseries – because of their sociable behavior and because they still do not
have-well developed hygienic habits; campers, people who swim in rivers and
lakes and persons who drink contaminated water.
Diarrhea, pain, weight loss
It is
possible to have a non-symptomatic infection by this parasite – that often
occurs – or, simply the symptoms are so mild that they are tolerable. When
present, patients tend to complain of changes in intestinal habits, with
malodorous diarrheas, sometimes leading to dehydration. Also frequent is
abdominal pain, gases, loss of appetite and loss of weight. In children,
repeated attacks can cause retardation in growth and learning capacity.
Although
these problems cause concern and are unpleasant, giardiasis is not generally a
dangerous disease.
Its
diagnosis consists of clinical data and laboratory tests, specially the test of
fecal matter.
Since the parasite may not be detected every day requires more than one test
over several days.
Unpleasant
methods such as biliary drainage, among others, are reserved for persons where
there is a high suspicion while laboratory tests have been negative. One or two
forms can be observed, the trophozoite and cyst.
The cyst and the trophozoite
The cyst is merely the form
of the parasite when expelled to the outside environment and stays quietly
waiting for a new victim that comes with water or food.
If it were
expelled as it lives in the human intestine, as a trophozoite, it would die
quickly due to adverse conditions of the environment. That is why it surrounds
itself with thick covering that allows resistance in the environment for a long
time and surviving temperature changes
and normal quantities of chlorine added to water for human consumption.
Once
presence of the parasite is diagnosed, treatment is simple and in a few days the
person can be considered cured. However, if necessary hygienic measures are not
observed, re-infection is possible and systems soon appear again.
Measures to prevent infection
- Washing hands frequently
after using the toilet, or changing baby diapers and before eating or preparing
food, especially those eaten fresh.
- Boil
drinking water although it looks clean and safe and if aquatic sports are
enjoyed avoid swallowing water.
- Remember
that if eating ice or drinks made with water that has not been boiled, the risk
is the same.
- During
sexual relations it is important to prevent exposure to fecal material of your
partner that can occur during oral-anal sex.
- Protect
other persons. If you know you are infected with this parasite, avoid swimming
in pools even if you no longer have symptoms. You may infect others
unintentionally.
-Wash or
peel fresh fruit and vegetables correctly before eating.
Since most
people with Giardia are asymptomatic, in these cases, except in some cases,
treatment is not applied.
There are
some symptoms blamed on the parasite (itching, skin spots, among others) these
are not scientifically related to the infection. That is why, under any
suspicion, it is the doctor who should define and treat the real cause.
When the
parasite has targeted your intestine, if you complete the treatment and observe
hygienic measures, you can be cured and prevent later attacks.
Realities of giardiasis
* It is a
perfectly curable and preventable disease.
* It does not cause cysts in the liver nor does it affect its function.
* Neither freezing nor quantities of chlorine added to water to be used
for human consumption prevent the disease since they do not destroy the
parasite. |
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