Giardia is a single-celled parasite that lives in the human small intestine. As a result of their vital activity, weight loss occurs, increased fatigue, abdominal pain appear, and in the future a whole bunch of diseases form. Once in the large intestine, where they have unsuitable conditions for existence, they are transformed into a cyst and eventually excreted with feces. When infected with giardiasis, a person may not experience any symptoms and be their carrier for a long time. They multiply rapidly and take up more and more space in the intestines, feeding on humans. In addition, parasites are able to move around the body and settle in other organs.
What is giardia?
These are the simplest flagellar microorganisms. In total, there are about forty varieties, but only one parasitizes in the intestines of humans and animals - Lamblia interstinalis. In appearance, they look like a cut pear, contain eight long flagellum filaments.for movement and a suction disk for fixation to the villi of the intestinal epithelium. Giardia sizes are fractions of a millimeter, they can only be distinguished under a microscope. They feed on the entire surface of the body, absorbing nutrients.
A large accumulation of parasites can absorb a significant amount of nutrients and lead the wearer to beriberi and weight loss. Reproduction occurs by division, the process is very fast. In the small intestine, they feed, move, reproduce, and outside it, they are covered with a protective shell and turn into a motionless form of cyst existence.
An infected person can release several hundred million living organisms (cysts) into the environment, which enter the soil or water with feces and wait for the moment to find a new host. Without a human body, they can survive up to 18 days, and even longer in a humid environment. Cysts are immune to bleach, but are afraid of sunlight, prolonged freezing and boiling treatment. In an arid environment, they die after a few hours.
Giardiasis
This is an invasive disease of humans and animals, caused by Giardia, affecting the small intestine. It is manifested by functional digestive disorders, allergic reactions and intoxication of the body. The disease is widespread. Most often it is found in the countries of Central Asia, Latin America, Africa. Russia is no exception either.
Animals, like humans, become infected with giardiasis. Diseasefound in dogs, cats, rabbits. It is also found in cattle. What causes giardiasis? An individual becomes infected from a carrier of the infection - another person or animal, as well as from poorly processed food and drinking water. Insects, such as flies, can be carriers of the disease. Infection with parasites is also possible through cooked food, when cysts come from the dirty hands of people in contact with it. An infected person after 9-20 days becomes a carrier of the infection himself and poses a danger to others. The transmission mechanism is fecal-oral.
How to recognize the disease?
The duration of the incubation period is about thirty days. At this time, the disease is asymptomatic. Then the first signs of giardiasis appear in adults:
- general weakness;
- headaches;
- loss of appetite and weight loss;
- irritability and excitability;
- plaque on the tongue;
- pale skin.
In immunocompromised people, the disease is much more severe at this stage. Rare periods of weakening of the disease are replaced by exacerbations.
The disease from the initial stage becomes acute, symptoms of giardiasis appear in humans. Among them are the following:
- pain in the abdomen;
- an enlarged liver is palpable;
- bad breath;
- apathy and fatigue sets in;
- flatulence and colic;
- changeable stool: alternating diarrhea withconstipation;
- increased salivation;
- there are signs of vitamin deficiency - hair loss, brittle nails, peeling of the dermis;
- skin rashes.
In the chronic form of giardiasis in adults, the following problems occur:
- The work of the digestive organs is disrupted. Loss of appetite, bloating and rumbling.
- General he alth continues to deteriorate, impaired ability to work. The person becomes irritable, suffers from drowsiness and headaches.
- There are problems with the release of bile. In this regard, there are painful sensations in the upper abdomen and right hypochondrium, bitterness in the mouth, dry skin and seizures in the corners of the mouth.
- Skin rashes are disturbing. No reaction to antihistamines.
- There is a strong peeling of the dermis.
- Aphthous stomatitis appears on the oral mucosa.
- There is weight loss.
- Decreased immunity, intoxication, inflammation of the lymph nodes.
Causes of infection with giardiasis
The main causes of the disease are:
- Failure to follow the rules of personal hygiene - poor hand washing after using the toilet, public places, before eating.
- Eating poorly washed raw vegetables, fruits and berries.
- Use unboiled water for drinking - chlorine does not kill Giardia.
- Living conditions that do not meet sanitary and epidemiological standards - the presence of cockroaches and flies that are carriers of infection.
- Infecteddomestic animals - cattle, cats, dogs, guinea pigs.
- Bathing in open waters.
- Weakened immunity.
Diagnosis of giardiasis. What tests to take?
It is difficult to identify symptoms related only to giardiasis, so making a diagnosis can be difficult. The most reliable method for determining the disease is the collection of feces for cysts. Moreover, a single study does not give correct results, therefore, a whole cycle of studies is carried out. To do this, they take feces for analysis at weekly intervals for two months.
In addition, they examine a blood test for antibodies to Giardia. Their presence indicates that the patient has had this disease before or is sick at the moment. They conduct a study of the contents of the upper intestine, for this they do probing. There is another modern research method using an enterotest. To do this, use a special gelatin capsule with a nylon thread inside. The patient swallows it, the capsule dissolves, and the thread is removed and microscopically examined for the presence of cysts.
Giardiasis treatment regimen
After making an accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes therapy. It depends on the symptoms, test results, and is selected individually for each patient. Treatment includes three stages:
- At the first stage, the body is cleansed of toxic substances produced by microorganisms, and their reproduction is inhibited. For this, a course of enzyme therapy is prescribed, enterosorbents are given andantihistamine medicines. The patient is on a special diet, limiting the amount of carbohydrates. A sweet environment promotes the reproduction of parasites. It is recommended to eat foods with a sour taste, they inhibit the activity of unicellular organisms. Choleretic preparations for giardiasis are also shown. This technique helps to prepare the body for the treatment of parasites directly.
- At the second stage, Giardia is destroyed. To do this, use antiprotozoal drugs with antibacterial action.
At the third, final stage, they add funds to strengthen the body's defenses and maintain immunity. They use complexes of vitamins and microelements, probiotics. The general course of treatment for giardiasis with drugs takes a long period.
Therapy of the chronic form of the disease
For the treatment of a disease in adults, drugs of the following groups are used:
- nitroimidazoles are synthetic drugs with high activity against anaerobic bacteria and pathogens of protozoal infections;
- nitrofurans - antibacterial drugs;
- products containing acridine - antiparasitic and antibacterial.
Prescribing drugs is done only by a doctor, and all treatment takes place under his supervision. The first group of drugs for the treatment of giardiasis consists of the following drugs: "Ornidazole", "Tinidazole". The second includes "Trichopolum", "Furazolidone", "Macmiror" (the latter is considered one of the best drugs for the treatment of diseases in adults). By the thirdthe group should include "Albendazole", which is a universal anthelmintic agent, "Mezim" and "Creon" - from a series of enzyme preparations. "Smekta" and "Enterosgel" are used as enterosorbents. To maintain the body's defenses, immunomodulators and vitamin complexes are prescribed. How to cure giardiasis, in each case, the doctor decides.
Acute treatment
The method of treatment of the disease depends on the form of its course. With acute giardiasis, the patient is hospitalized in a hospital and undergoes a course of one-day treatment under the supervision of a physician. It is complex and is carried out in two stages. At the first, pathological substances secreted during the life of parasites are eliminated, and the enzymatic activity of the gastric mucosa increases. The following drugs are used during treatment:
- choleretic - "Mannitol", "Sorbitol";
- antispasmodic - "Metacin", "No-shpa", "Platifillin";
- enterosorbents - "Polifepan", "Smecta", "Polysorb";
- enzymes - "Festal", "Pancreatin", "Hilak-Forte".
At the second stage of this treatment regimen for giardiasis, antiparasitic agents are used. They have a detrimental effect on the simplest unicellular creatures. The doctor prescribes "Metronidazole", "Tinidazole", "Macmirror". These drugs are able to kill microorganisms, prevent inflammation and thereby speed up recovery. It must be remembered that some of them have undesirable side effects and have significant contraindications. All of them are assigned taking into account individual characteristics.body and are taken under the supervision of a doctor. The course of therapy in adults with drugs for giardiasis is from five to ten days.
After completing the main course, enzymes, multivitamins and probiotics are prescribed to regenerate the disturbed intestinal microflora. To increase the body's defenses and improve bowel function, a therapeutic diet is used, including dishes using cereals, beets, zucchini, pumpkin, sour-milk products and fruits.
Methods of infection
Giardiasis in the human body begins to develop after bacteria enter through the mouth. There are many such situations. Here are some of them:
- drinking water from contaminated sources;
- dirty or poorly washed hands;
- drinking unboiled milk;
- bad habits - take hands and various objects in your mouth;
- communication with infected animals.
The main source of infection, apart from animals, is humans. How is giardiasis transmitted from person to person? This can happen like this:
- through common household items: toothbrush, towel, underwear, bedding, dishes;
- handshakes;
- when kissing through saliva.
When they enter the body, they do not make themselves felt for a long time. A person, without suspecting it, is a carrier of the disease and is able to infect others. All family members who live with an invasive person are at risk.
The first signs of giardiasis inchildren
Most often the disease begins asymptomatically, the temperature remains normal. This is due to the weak response of the immune system to protozoan parasites. Only with a large accumulation of unicellular in the small intestine of the child appears:
- diarrhea up to six times a day, which is accompanied by abdominal pain in giardiasis (the stool is foamy, has a fetid odor, sometimes contains blood);
- nausea after eating, rarely vomiting;
- failure, tearfulness.
These symptoms are characteristic of many diseases of the digestive tract. In mild cases, the illness goes away after a few days, and the parents remain unaware that their child has been ill with giardiasis. Sometimes the disease progresses or becomes chronic. Then, in addition to loose stools, the following symptoms may appear:
- allergic dermatitis or cough;
- weight loss with good appetite;
- pain in the lower abdomen paroxysmal;
- nausea and belching;
- fatigue, drowsiness, headache.
It is impossible to determine the disease by external signs, so you need to see a doctor and take stool and blood tests. Only a doctor will make a correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment for giardiasis.
Elimination of the disease in a child
Opinions differ about whether to treat asymptomatic giardiasis or not. Some doctors argue that it is necessary to carry out therapy so that the disease does not become chronic, while others, on the contrary, believe thatthat in such a case, drugs should not be used.
In medical practice, there is a large selection of drugs for the treatment of this disease in children. What exactly to use for a child with this disease, the doctor selects, taking into account the results of the tests and the individual characteristics of the organism. Commonly prescribed medications for giardiasis in children include:
- "Tiberal" - has no age restrictions, of contraindications - only individual intolerance. Causes drowsiness and upset stomach. The dosage is selected according to the patient's weight.
- "Nemozol" - is produced in the form of a suspension, is appointed from the year. May cause flatulence, abdominal pain, allergic reactions, sleep disturbances.
- "Macmirror" - has a wide range of action, skin reactions and stomach disorders are possible.
- "Furazolidone" - available only in tablet form, is prescribed for children from one month old.
- "Metronidazole" - is prescribed for children over two years old, allergic reactions are possible.
The use of folk remedies for the treatment of diseases in adults
Many people prefer to be treated with old proven traditional medicine recipes. It should be borne in mind that a seemingly harmless herb can be harmful to he alth if used improperly. Therefore, when using folk recipes, you need to consult a doctor and pay attention to the following points:
- At the first stage of treatment, a weakened body is prepared fordestruction of lamblia, and do not poison them immediately. You should be extremely careful and take into account all the features of the use of folk remedies.
- It may turn out that some herbal preparations cannot be used due to comorbidities, so they should not be thoughtlessly used.
- Treatment of giardiasis with folk remedies takes much more time than drugs, so in some cases, for a speedy recovery, they should be combined.
Here are some recipes:
- Mugwort tincture. One hundred grams of dry wormwood insist for three weeks in half a liter of vodka in a dark place. Used to get rid of Giardia three drops twice a day.
- Garlic tincture. 50 g of chopped garlic is poured into a glass of vodka and left in a dark container for a week. Take three times a day thirty minutes before meals, 20 drops in milk or water.
- Pumpkin seeds. 300 g of seeds are ground in a mortar, 50 g of water and honey are added. The prepared drug is eaten on an empty stomach for an hour. After taking, empty the intestines using a laxative.
There are many different recipes for the treatment of giardiasis folk remedies, but all such remedies should be taken with extreme caution after consulting your doctor so as not to harm the body.
Prevention of giardiasis
Preventive measures against any kind of helminths is to carry out various activities that prevent the occurrence of invasions. Prevention of giardiasis should be twospecies:
- Social. It includes all types of control over the sanitary condition of catering workers, preschool and school educational institutions. It is necessary to conduct preventive conversations with children on compliance with sanitary standards. Particular attention should be paid to the water in the pools, given that Giardia cysts are not afraid of bleach. To protect people, it is recommended to disinfect, filter and constantly monitor the contents of pools for the presence of parasites.
- Customized. A person must protect himself from infection. Treatment of giardiasis is a complex and lengthy process. Parents should from an early age teach their child to constantly wash their hands with soap and water, to prevent the development of bad habits: thumb sucking, biting pens, nails, pencils. Adults are also advised to observe hygiene standards when preparing food: wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly, observe the temperature regime for food processing. Particular attention should be paid to drinking water - use it only in boiled form. Toddlers after playing in the sandbox, parents should treat their hands with antiseptic wipes. Pets should be checked regularly by a veterinarian and kept clean.
Doctors do not have a common opinion about prophylaxis with anthelmintic drugs. Many believe that it is necessary to treat giardiasis and other helminths with medicines twice a year. Others point out that it is inappropriate to do this, since the drugs are toxic.
