All you need to know about Giardia

Giardia is an intestinal infection caused by a Giardia Parasite.
Giardia is caused by the microscopic parasite Giardia Duodenalis. It spreads from person to person through contamined water, food, surfaces, or objects.
Symptoms of Giardia include fatigue, cramps, belching gas, diarrhea, however, some people have no symptoms.
Occasionally, people have long term complications such as reactive arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and recurring diarrhea that can last for years. Among children in particular, severe Giardiasis may delay physical and mental growth, slow development, and cause malnutrition.
Most cases clear up on their own within a few weeks. Severe cases can be treated with antibiotics.

Extra Information

Giardia is a rare disease with fewer than 200,000 U.S. cases per year.

Once outside the body, Giardia can sometimes survive for weeks or even months.

Giardia was initially described by van Leeuwenhoek in 1681 as he was examining his own diarrheal stools under the microscope.