Giardiasis
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- Giardiasis Overview
- Giardiasis Causes
- Giardiasis Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Giardiasis Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medications
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
Giardiasis Overview
Giardiasis is an infection of the small bowel by a single-celled organism called Giardia lamblia. People become infected with the Giardia parasite after swallowing Giardia cyst often found in water contaminated by raw sewage or animal waste.
- Giardiasis can be found among 2-5% of people in industrialized nations such as the United States. In developing countries, 20-30% of the population may have giardiasis.
- Travelers to foreign countries may develop diarrhea often caused by Giardia.
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Giardiasis
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Introduction
With the procedure known as gastrointestinal endoscopy, a doctor is able to see the inside lining of your digestive tract. This examination is performed using an endoscope-a flexible fiberoptic tube with a tiny TV camera at the end. The camera is connected to either an eyepiece for direct viewing or a video screen that displays the images on a color TV. The endoscope not only allows diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) disease but treatment as well.
- Current endoscopes are derived from a primitive system created in 1806-a tiny tube with a mirror and a wax candle. Although crude, this early instrument allowed a first view into a living body.
- The GI endoscopy procedure may be performed on either an outpatient or inpatient basis. Through the endoscope, a doctor can evaluate several problems, such as ulcers or muscle spasms. These concerns are not always seen on other imaging tests.
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Giardiasis »
Giardia lamblia was originally identified by von Leeuwenhoek in the 1600s and was first recognized in human stool by Vilem Dusan Lambl (1824-1895) in 1859 and by Alfred Giard (1846-1908) after whom it is named.
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