More often, giardiasis does not manifest itself in any way in the human body, which makes it much more difficult to make a diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. The disease causes metabolic disorders, failure to absorb beneficial vitamins and microelements, and severe pain. The acute form of giardiasis is characterized by several specific symptoms:

• indigestion (constipation, bloating and diarrhea);
• nausea and pain in the central part of the abdomen;
• increase internal organs- liver and spleen;
• fatigue and drowsiness;
• slight increase in body temperature.

In the chronic stage of giardiasis, severe headaches occur.

Without proper treatment, the acute form of the disease becomes chronic, characterized by periodic bouts of relapse. The chronic form of giardiasis is characterized by the following symptoms:

• the appearance of headaches and loss of total body weight;
• metabolic and digestive disorders;
• neurotic disorders.

Types and localization of pain in giardiasis

Stomach ache

• any pain occurs regardless of food intake;
• Giardiasis is characterized by severe pain that is localized in the navel area.

Associated symptoms:

• increase in body temperature to 38 degrees;
• indigestion - lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting.

• When performing exercises, unpleasant pain occurs in the knees, arms and legs. A person may feel pain in the evening and at night.
• The inflamed joints are slightly enlarged and there is swelling around them. This occurs due to the inflammatory process inside the joint - excess fluid collects there and swelling occurs.

Diagnosis and treatment

Giardia in children, the effect of giardiasis on the health of the child

Morphology of Giardia

A cyst is an oval-shaped immobile cell covered with a hard double-circuit membrane. The protozoan takes on this state when it enters the large intestine, and then, along with feces, is excreted into the environment. The shell is resistant to acidic environments, including gastric juice. In the cyst state, worms can remain in the environment for up to 70 days without problems, waiting for a new host.

The process of infection with giardiasis in children

Another source of Giardia worms can be a domestic animal, which can be both a carrier of cysts and a carrier of the disease itself.

Symptoms and signs of giardiasis in children

Most often, the disease occurs without any visible symptoms, but sometimes the infection progresses into the process of digestive disorders - giardiasis. Moreover, children are susceptible to the disease much more often and it is more difficult to resolve. The first sign that children may already have giardiasis is poor appetite or a complete refusal of food by the child.

• Giardia in a newborn baby and a child under one year of age is manifested by an episodic rise in temperature, quite severe diarrhea and, as a consequence of a lack of nutrients, a subsequent slowdown in development;
• Giardiasis in children over one year of age is manifested not only by diarrhea and fever. Allergic reactions also appear - hives, skin rashes, which are often confused with atopic dermatitis, which they begin to treat, and to no avail.

Another common sign of Giardia infection in children over 1 year of age is the appearance of shortness of breath, similar to asthma. Moreover, this shortness of breath is mistaken for real asthma and treatment is prescribed that does not bring any effect.

Diagnosis of giardiasis

You can guess that a child has lamblia from the symptoms listed above. The presence of the disease in one of the children in the team, or relatives in the family should be a reason for further research.

A general blood test for a chronic disease shows monocytosis or eosinophilia. Leukopenia is less common. There are no specific indicators of infection in the blood formula, and may be a sign of infection with other types of worms.

But in order to make a final diagnosis, it is necessary to detect the Giardia cysts themselves in the feces of children. To do this, you need to take the test at least three times, and even then, the results may be erroneous. After all, the release of cysts occurs cyclically, when mass release is replaced by its complete absence. And the period without cyst formation can last up to 21 days.

In order for the test results for giardiasis in children to be more accurate, the sample must be fresh. It is best to collect it in a special container with a preservative. If it is not possible to take this container to the laboratory, any clean container will do, now, most importantly, time. The faster the material is delivered, the greater the chance of getting the right result.

If it is not possible to collect material in the morning, then the material collected in the evening should be put in the refrigerator, but the effectiveness of analyzing such a sample is sharply reduced. But even a negative result does not give 100% confidence in the absence of the disease. It is recommended to repeat the analysis at least three more times.

Localization of Giardia

The main location of Giardia in children is the small intestine, where they multiply, causing great harm to your child, taking nutrients and vitamins. Much less often these worms can be found in the biliary tract. This localization causes serious damage to the liver.

Disease prevention

Today, giardiasis can be treated quite successfully, but it is always better to prevent it. To do this, you need to follow simple recommendations:

• For drinking, use only boiled or filtered water;
• At least twice a year, examine all family members for the presence of cysts, and, if they are found in the stool of at least one person, sanitize all its members;
• When keeping animals at home, it is necessary to treat them against worms and Giardia (at least once every six months);
• Maintain hygiene, treat toys and pacifiers when they fall on the floor, because this is the main route of infection with Giardia worms in children.

Skin rash caused by worms

Causes of rashes and clinical manifestations

Allergic reaction and gastrointestinal damage

An example of possible urticaria with trichinosis. But more often this disease manifests itself as swelling of the face, especially around the eyes.

The most common forms of skin rashes due to helminth infections are eczema, urticaria and atopic dermatitis.

The great danger of human infection by helminths is due to the fact that some of them are quite large in size and, localized in the gastrointestinal tract, are capable of completely or partially closing the intestinal lumen. In this case, the patient experiences disturbances in intestinal motility, partial obstruction, and often constipation. Disturbances in the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract always appear on the skin. It fades, becomes flabby, becomes stained and various shapes rash.

Penetration of larvae through the skin or localization under it

Rash due to external penetration of worm larvae

In the case of some helminths, rashes appear at the site where the worm larvae penetrate the skin. In addition, a person may have a condition called cutaneous larva migrans. This disease is caused by accidental infection of humans by nematodes of certain animals, the larvae which penetrate the skin, causing a rash, redness and severe itching.

One type of allergic skin reaction caused by helminths is commonly known as cercariasis or swimmer's itch. This disease is characterized by the presence of red, itchy papules that appear on the skin, usually within a few hours after swimming in bodies of water contaminated by larvae (cercariae) of flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. During a person's stay in contaminated water, the larvae penetrate the skin. However, due to the inability to implement its life cycle in human body, they quickly die and skin rashes (a consequence of an allergic reaction to the presence of larvae), as a rule, disappear on their own within a week.

In a person suffering from paragonimiasis, dense nodes of different sizes, almost painless upon palpation, form on the outer layer of the skin, containing worms and their eggs.

Diagnosis and treatment

If any kind of skin rash occurs, you should consult a doctor who, after studying the full picture of the disease, including additional tests, will prescribe treatment.

It is pointless to fight skin rashes caused by helminthiasis. To get rid of them, you need to eliminate the main cause of their occurrence - remove worms from the body. Otherwise, any local treatment will not bring a positive effect.

is a well-known parasitic disease that primarily affects the human small intestine. Many people often confuse Giardia with parasitic worms - helminths. Yes, both of them are parasites, living at the expense of their host - humans. The difference is that Giardia is the simplest, smallest creature, consisting of only one cell, but at the same time functioning as a single integral microorganism.

Giardia - their anatomy and physiology

Giardia exists in two forms, which transform into one another in the course of their life.

Cysts– rounded formations, slightly smaller than trophozoites. The cyst is a protective shell under which a young, not yet fully formed trophozoid is reliably preserved from unfavorable environmental factors.

There is a vicious circle that will not end until basic hygiene rules are observed and appropriate adequate treatment is taken. The spread of giardiasis is more often observed in children of primary school age, especially in those who live in private houses with a toilet on the street. But don’t think that giardiasis occurs only in children. Any person is susceptible to the disease, no matter how strong their immune system is.

Symptoms of giardiasis

Being localized in the small intestine, most symptoms of the disease are associated with the gastrointestinal tract. There are also extraintestinal symptoms associated with allergic disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Allergic manifestations may be:

• Small pinpoint rashes on the skin.
• Itching in the area of ​​the rash, in the nose and near the anus.
• Respiratory disorders in the form of bronchial asthma, rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal mucosa).
• Conjunctivitis – inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes.

Diagnosis of giardiasis

To make a diagnosis, several methods are used, the main of which is the detection of Giardia cysts in the patient’s stool, in the contents of duodenum or when taking a piece of tissue from the small intestine (biopsy).

To exclude the diagnosis of giardiasis in the chronic course of the disease, repeat stool tests are taken at intervals of seven days for four to five weeks. The contents of feces are subjected to microscopy, and in some cases trophozoids can also be detected.

In addition, the effectiveness of treatment depends in conjunction with a number of measures, the observance of which completely determines the success of the treatment. Such measures primarily include drug therapy, hygiene measures, and diet, depending on the changes that have occurred in the gastrointestinal tract.

Drug therapy

Metronidazole (trichopolum)– is rightfully considered the drug of choice in the treatment of giardiasis. The mechanism of action is associated with inhibition of vital activity not only of Giardia but also of most protozoan microorganisms. It also affects certain types of pathogenic bacteria that often accompany various inflammatory processes. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, thereby improving the general condition and accelerating the healing process.
The recommended dose is 5 mg/kg body weight per day.

The dosage regimen is three doses of the drug per day. The duration of treatment varies from 7 to 10 days.

Tinidazole (phasizhin) And Ornidazole (Tibiral) taken in a single dose of 5 mg/kg.

Furazolidone– a drug with antiseptic and antimicrobial properties.

Application. Furazolidone is taken as a suspension at a dose of 2 mg/kg per day. The frequency of administration is 4 times a day. The course of treatment is carried out for 7 – 10 days.

By observing all the above measures, you will always feel safe and confident in your own health.

Why do children get giardiasis more often?

A child of any age, even a newborn, is not immune from Giardia infection.

However, giardiasis occurs most often in children preschool age: according to statistics, about 30-50% of children attending nurseries preschool institutions, are infected with Giardia, since there is great crowding in children's groups, and the risk of infection increases significantly. Whereas among “home children” this figure is two times less.

Children's susceptibility to Giardia is associated with two factors:

At asymptomatic form Sick children have no manifestations of the disease, and Giardia is detected by chance during examination.

Acute giardiasis

Develops in about 50% of children infected with Giardia. The first symptoms of the disease appear 7-21 days after infection.

However, if the disease does develop, then pronounced disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract come to the fore: profuse loose stools, nausea and vomiting, bloating, refusal to eat or decreased appetite. There is also seemingly causeless anxiety and periodic increases in body temperature to 37-38°C.

Subsequently, children fall behind in physical development, gain weight poorly, which is caused by impaired digestion and absorption of nutrients.

How does giardiasis occur in pregnant women?

At acute form signs of gastroenteritis - an inflammatory disease of the stomach and intestines. Frequent, loose, profuse stools appear with an unpleasant odor, but do not contain any impurities (mucus, blood). There is bloating and pain in the abdomen, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting. Sometimes the body temperature rises to 38-38.5°C, and a pinpoint rash appears on the body.

At chronic form diseases, the expectant mother is worried about constant bloating, unstable stools (constipation alternating with diarrhea), abdominal pain, severe weakness, dizziness and headaches, nausea, allergic reactions (food allergies, skin rashes and others).

However, the disease can be asymptomatic, or the expectant mother regards its signs as manifestations of toxicosis. Therefore, he does not consult a doctor in a timely manner.

Why is giardiasis dangerous during pregnancy?

Giardia itself is not able to penetrate the placenta and infect the fetus, but the disease adversely affects the course of pregnancy and the condition of the fetus. Since the waste products of Giardia and the decay of dead individuals enter the blood, worsening the mother's well-being and increasing the manifestations of toxicosis.

Besides, the fetus does not receive enough nutrients due to the fact that digestion is impaired, as well as the absorption of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Giardiasis can lead to the development of one of the most serious complications of pregnancy: chronic fetoplacental insufficiency. Therefore, the functions of the placenta are disrupted: delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, production of hormones, excretion of fetal waste products, protection against the penetration of toxins and infections from the mother’s body to the fetus.

When placental insufficiency develops early stages pregnancy (up to 16 weeks), there is a high probability of miscarriage.

If the condition occurs on later(after 16 weeks), normal fetal development is often disrupted. As a result, a child may be born with intrauterine growth retardation (low weight and/or height), with immature organs and systems. There is also a high risk of premature birth.

However, if changes in the placenta are not pronounced, then compensatory mechanisms are triggered, so a full-term and healthy baby is born.

What types of skin rashes occur with giardiasis (photo)?

The changes in the skin are most pronounced when the allergic component predominates during the course of the disease.

Vivid skin manifestations are also present in patients who, before infection, already suffered from allergic diseases (for example, bronchial asthma). Moreover, the nature and abundance of rashes depend more on the initial state of the patient’s immune system rather than on the amount of Giardia in the body.

Hives manifests itself as bubbles filled with a clear liquid, which in some cases merge with each other. After some time during treatment, they disappear, but reappear when exposed to a provoking factor - food, pollen and others.

Infantile prurigo or struffulus- a type of urticaria with severe itching that develops in children from six months to three to five years. Initially, bubbles filled with clear liquid appear on the skin. After a short period of time, they thicken, turning into pink-brown nodules with small bubbles on top.

Most often, the rashes are located in large folds of skin (under the armpits, in the perineum), but can also spread to the torso.

Children's pruritus is persistent and therefore persists even after the cessation of exposure to the allergen. However, in most cases it disappears without a trace when the child reaches three to five years of age.

Eczema is an allergic skin lesion in the form of weeping small blisters that appear against the background of reddened and swollen skin. Bubbles most often occur symmetrically, on both sides of the body simultaneously, and tend to cluster. “Favorite” places for eczema are the skin of the neck and face. However, they can appear on any part of the body.

After opening, crusts and scales form in place of the bubbles, which do not have clear boundaries. If this process becomes prolonged, the skin at the site of the rash thickens and thickens.

The rash is accompanied by severe itching and burning at all stages of its development.

Neurodermatitis manifests itself as symmetrical skin rashes, which can be located in the inguinal and axillary folds, elbow and popliteal folds, on the face, neck and limbs, and scalp.

According to the nature of the rash with neurodermatitis, they undergo changes in their development. Initially, nodules or compactions of a pale pink color with severe itching appear on the skin. Then they grow and merge into large lesions, on the surface of which scales and crusts form.

Severe painful skin itching- the result of a violation of the binding of bile acids. Itching may appear without any rash on the skin, but if it persists for a long time, there are traces of scratching on the skin.

How is giardiasis treated in children (scheme)?

There is no uniform approach and standard for the treatment of giardiasis due to several circumstances:

• Many drugs have side effects, which are undesirable for a growing body.
• The child’s general condition may worsen due to increased symptoms of the disease on the second or third day from the start of treatment: nausea, allergic manifestations and others. This reaction occurs due to the massive death of Giardia and the formation of toxins.
• Giardia has developed resistance to the most commonly previously used drugs.
• Sometimes co-infection with bacteria or fungi (Candida, Helicobacter pylori and others) occurs, which often requires additional medications.
• After successful treatment of giardiasis, unstable immunity is developed, so re-infection is possible.

There are two approaches to treating giardiasis:

Designed to increase the effectiveness of the drugs used and reduce the severity of symptoms of exacerbation of giardiasis.

The first stage is preparatory

Goals: normalization of the gastrointestinal tract and creation of conditions to reduce the amount of lamblia in the body.

Drugs used

1. Enterosorbents: Smecta, Enterosgel, Laktofiltrum and others.

They do not directly affect Giardia, but create unfavorable conditions for their growth and reproduction.

Operating principle: binding, as well as removal of toxins, bacteria and various substances (bilirubin, cholesterol, allergens and others) from the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, some enterosorbents create conditions for the proliferation of beneficial flora in the intestines (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli).

2. Medicines containing lactulose(Duphalac) are prescribed for constipation.

The second stage is the destruction of Giardia

Conducted with two courses of anti-giardiasis drugs different groups with an interval of one week between them.

Medicines used

Choice of antigiardiasis drug

For the first course depending on the age of the child, it is recommended to use Ornidazole or Tinidazole, for the second- Macmiror or Albendazole.

In parallel with antigiardiasis treatment, the following drugs are used:

• To reduce allergic manifestations Children are recommended to be prescribed desensitizing drugs. For example, starting from six months - Zyrtec (Cetirizine), over 12 years - Telfast.
• To improve treatment tolerability, it is advisable to use Wobenzym- a drug that has immunomodulatory, enzymatic, anti-inflammatory and decongestant effects.

The third stage is the final one

Drugs are prescribed for restoration of normal intestinal microflora: Enterol, Lactobacterin, Probifor and others.

With a purpose replenishing the body with vitamins and microelements complex preparations are used: Stimbifid, Alphabet, Vitrum and others.

To improve the functioning of the immune system Sometimes immunostimulants are prescribed: Polyoxidonium, Lykopid and others. However, if possible, it is better to establish rational nutrition rather than using synthetic drugs.

Attention ! All medications for the treatment of giardiasis are prescribed only by a doctor, taking into account the age and weight of the child, as well as the course of the disease.

How is giardiasis treated in pregnant women?

If the disease is asymptomatic, the expectant mother is in good health and the fetus is developing, it is recommended to refrain from treating giardiasis during pregnancy.

In other cases, the decision to use drugs to combat Giardia accepted individually, since traditional medications (Tinidazole, Macmiror and others) are contraindicated for use in the first three months of pregnancy.

However, there is a drug that can be used regardless of the stage of pregnancy: Enterofuril. Since the studies did not reveal it negative impact for the fruit.

In addition, at Enterofuril has two advantages:

• It is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, minimizing the risk of allergic reactions.
• Does not disrupt normal intestinal microflora.

However, in the early stages of pregnancy (up to 12 weeks), Enterofuril is recommended to be prescribed with caution: when the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the risk of negative effects on the fetus.

What is the treatment for giardiasis with folk remedies?

Medicines are not always 100% effective against Giardia. Therefore, sometimes, in order to achieve better treatment results, it is advisable to combine pharmaceutical drugs with folk remedies, the action of which is based on anthelmintic properties.

Recipe No. 1: Horseradish tincture

Take one kilogram of unpeeled horseradish root and mince it. Place the resulting mass in a three-liter jar and fill it to the top with boiled, cooled water. Then put the jar in the refrigerator for three days, then strain and squeeze out the raw materials. Store the resulting infusion in the refrigerator.

Accept one tablespoon three times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 4-5 weeks.

Recipe No. 2: Honey-plantain mixture

It is necessary to collect plantain leaves at the time of flowering. Then rinse and grind in a meat grinder. Mix the resulting raw materials with honey in a 1:1 ratio and store in the refrigerator.

Accept one tablespoon three times a day 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 30 days.

Recipe No. 3: Mixture of flax seeds and cloves

Pass the dried clove buds and flax seeds separately through a coffee grinder. Then mix in a ratio of 10 parts flax seeds: 1 part clove buds.

Accept 25 grams daily if the patient’s weight is about 70-75 kg. If the patient weighs less or more, then divide this figure by three. The resulting figure means the number of grams that need to be taken daily.

The product can be added to food or consumed in its pure form with water. The course of treatment is 30 days.

What are the consequences of giardiasis?

They are more pronounced in children than in adults, since their compensatory mechanisms are imperfect.

Gets hit immune system, since Giardia suppresses her work, making her weak. Therefore, the patient more often suffers from viral and bacterial infections.

Often develop diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: biliary dyskinesia, pancreatitis, chronic gastritis (inflammation of the gastric mucosa) or gastroduodenitis (inflammation of the gastric mucosa and duodenum). Moreover, after removing Giardia from the body, recovery does not always occur, so the developed ailments become chronic.

Giardiasis is a disease that occurs when single-celled protozoa Giardia enters the human body. Giardia is a cell whose structure resembles a pear. At one end it has 4 pairs of flagella (organelles of movement) and a suction cup, allowing it to firmly adhere to the intestinal epithelium. Giardia reproduces by division. The division process lasts 5–20 minutes, so for the development of the disease, it is enough for 1–10 protozoan cysts to enter the body, and after a short time there are many more of them.

How can you become infected with Giardia?

The source of infection is a person who is a carrier of these protozoa or some animals that are in close contact with people (dogs, cats, pigs, cattle and others). The mechanism of infection is fecal-oral. To understand how Giardia is transmitted, you need to know that Giardia cysts enter the environment with the feces of the carrier. For further development, they must enter the gastrointestinal tract of a healthy person through the mouth with water, soil or unwashed fruits and vegetables. The modes of transmission of Giardia include household contact, food and water. Giardia spreads from person to person, for example, in kindergartens through contaminated toys, bedding or underwear.

Where do Giardia live in the human body? What happens in the body when infected with Giardia?

Once in the human body, the cysts attach to the epithelial cells of the small intestine, most often the duodenum or jejunum. Having sucked tightly, they begin to absorb nutrients from the intestinal lumen. Enterocytes (intestinal epithelial cells) cease to perform their functions. At the site of attachment of the protozoa, swelling and inflammation develop. Waste products and decomposition products of Giardia poison the body, as a result of which the protective forces (immunity) are weakened, and a secondary and opportunistic infection occurs. As a result, secondary appendicitis, colitis, biliary dyskinesia and dysbacteriosis may develop.

How does giardiasis manifest?

In 70% of cases, adults have asymptomatic carriage of Giardia. Detection of Giardia during laboratory testing also confirms the diagnosis of Giardiasis. Today, there are three forms of this disease: intestinal, hepatobiliary and allergic-dermatological. The intestinal form of the disease is manifested by the following symptoms:

• diffuse, paroxysmal pain in the umbilical region, often accompanied by nausea; as a rule, pain is not associated with eating;
• dyspepsia (decreased appetite, belching, heartburn, feeling of fullness in the stomach);
• stool instability - constipation may be replaced by frequent loose, foamy stools.

Symptoms of the hepatobiliary form of the disease:

• pain in the right hypochondrium;
• bitterness in the mouth;
• belching with a bitter taste;
• nausea, sometimes vomiting.

Against the background of any of these forms, with a long course of the disease, astheno-neurotic changes occur in the body: weakness, fatigue, headache or dizziness, mood swings from irritability and tearfulness to fits of laughter, sleep disturbance. The allergic-dermatological form of giardiasis is manifested by persistent indomitable itching, frequent urticaria, attacks of bronchial asthma, and allergic conjunctivitis. Symptoms disappear quickly after specific treatment (metronidazole).

How to identify giardiasis?

The variety of clinical manifestations of the disease, as well as their nonspecificity, necessitate laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis. The following methods for diagnosing giardiasis are used today.

1. Infection through sexual contact.

Outside the host's body, Giardia cysts can exist for up to three months. Once in a favorable environment, they begin to multiply by dividing the cell-organism into two independent individuals. For the development of a disease in the body of a child or an adult, only a dozen cysts are sufficient, despite the fact that a huge number of them are released with feces - up to a billion.

General symptoms of giardiasis

• asymptomatic;
• spicy;
• chronic.

• increased body temperature;
• severe diarrhea;
• vomit;
• sudden weight loss.

May be observed:

• decreased appetite;
• headaches;
• bitterness or dry mouth;
• pale skin;
• peeling and dry skin.

• abdominal pain;
• increased fatigue;
• weight loss;
• dyspepsia;
• anemia.

• nausea;
• bitterness in the mouth;
• pain in the right side;

• dry exhausting cough;
• night grinding of teeth;
• dyspnea;
• weakness and dizziness;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• itching of the skin and conjunctiva;

• muffled heart sounds;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• increased sweating.

Main symptoms:

• pain in the lower abdomen;
• feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

Giardia inside human body- unpleasant neighbors, which it is better to get rid of in a timely manner so that they do not cause significant harm, and maintaining hygiene and preventive measures will help to avoid an unwanted encounter.

How to determine giardiasis in humans

As a rule, symptoms of giardiasis in both children and adults may not appear immediately. In addition, they can easily be confused with symptoms of a completely different disease. This is why it is so important to immediately get tested for laboratory tests at the first suspicion of giardiasis.

Giardiasis can occur in humans in two main forms. And this applies to both adults and children. These are clinical and asymptomatic forms. The first includes three more main types of disease. Let us now consider this in more detail.

As for the clinical form of giardiasis, it is characterized by certain symptoms. So, very often giardiasis appears as a concomitant disease. This is due to the weakening of a person’s immunity due to some more serious illness. Then treatment should be aimed simultaneously at both eliminating the main problem and combating Giardia.

Rarely, but still there is a hepatobiliary form of giardiasis. Most often it is observed in children and is accompanied by a disease such as childhood cholecystitis. Untimely treatment can lead to partial inhibition of liver function.

But how to detect Giardia by visible signs? Despite the fact that this is quite difficult to do, since the symptoms of giardiasis are similar to many infectious diseases, these signs should still be considered. The manifestation of at least two symptoms at the same time should alert a person and force him to see a doctor.

But diagnosing giardiasis based on such symptoms is difficult, since the disease is well masked. These signs can also clearly manifest themselves in many other diseases.

Therefore, more accurate laboratory diagnosis of giardiasis is always required.

Duodenal examination is considered almost 100% accurate. It consists in the fact that a special probe is introduced into the human body, with the help of which the contents of bile are examined. If Giardia really lives in a person, then they will definitely be identified. But the disadvantage of such a study is that it cannot be carried out on children under 10 years of age.

In some cases, a clinical blood test is also done. As a rule, it will not answer the question of whether there is Giardia in the body. But it will definitely indicate the presence of diseases such as monocytosis, leukopenia and eosinophilia, the causes of which are often Giardia.

1. Drinking insufficiently purified water (it should be borne in mind that chlorination of water does not destroy cysts).
2. Failure to comply with sanitary and hygienic conditions by agricultural workers when procuring food products.
3. Consumption of contaminated vegetables, berries, fruits and herbs that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment.
4. Contact with contaminated soil (fertilized with untreated manure or contaminated with pet feces).
5. Direct contact with a person or animal sick with giardiasis, as well as household items used by the carrier.
6. Poor hygiene (dirty hands).
7. Swimming in pools, open fresh water and sea water.
8. Infection through sexual contact.
9. Infection through mother's milk.

Outside the host's body, Giardia cysts can exist for up to three months. Once in a favorable environment, they begin to multiply by dividing the cell-organism into two independent individuals. For the development of a disease in the body of a child or an adult, only a dozen cysts are sufficient, despite the fact that a huge number of them are released with feces - up to a billion.

General symptoms of giardiasis

Symptoms of damage to the body by Giardia are extensive, so they must be considered both in combination and separately.

There are three main forms of giardiasis:

• asymptomatic;
• spicy;
• chronic.

Acute giardiasis. The acute form of giardiasis is most often observed in infants and primary school children, as well as adults with various types of immunodeficiency and is characterized by the following symptoms:

• increased body temperature;
• severe diarrhea;
• vomit;
• severe pain in the upper and middle epigastric regions;
• the appearance of a red rash;
• sudden weight loss.

The manifestation of symptoms intensifies when the patient’s diet changes (consuming more carbohydrates), as well as against the background of stress, colds and infectious diseases, that is, in a state of a sharp decrease in the body’s immune defense. Lack of proper and timely treatment leads to the transition of the acute stage to the chronic stage.

Chronic giardiasis. The chronic form is characterized by a complex of syndromes, such as:

• dysbacteriosis (disruption of normal intestinal function: constipation alternating with persistent diarrhea and diarrhea);
• dyspepsia (belching, nausea, heartburn, flatulence and other symptoms of indigestion);
• hypovitaminosis (imbalance of vitamins in the body).

May be observed:

• decreased appetite;
• cramping pain in the abdominal area;
• headaches;
• mood swings (emotional instability, irritability);
• bitterness or dry mouth;
• pale skin;
• peeling and dry skin.

Often the course of the chronic form of the disease is similar in symptoms to other disorders of internal organs and systems, which greatly complicates diagnosis. Therefore, it is important to understand which organ is most affected when symptoms of Giardia are present.

Symptoms of damage to internal organs

• chronic constipation or diarrhea;
• abdominal pain;
• rise in temperature for no apparent reason;
• increased fatigue;
• chronic dysbiosis while taking drugs that normalize intestinal microflora;
• the appearance of allergic skin rashes;
• digestive insufficiency syndrome;
• weight loss;
• an increase in the number of leukocytes and ESR in the blood test;
• dyspepsia;
• anemia.

The main diseases associated with the presence of Giardia in the intestines: enterocolitis, enteritis; duodenitis.

Damage to the gallbladder. Giardia can disrupt the motility of the biliary tract, which manifests itself:

• nausea;
• bitterness in the mouth;
• pain in the right side;

Symptoms of damage to body systems

• dry exhausting cough;
• night grinding of teeth;
• dyspnea;
• weakness and dizziness;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• itching of the skin and conjunctiva;
• increased levels of eosinophils in general analysis blood.

Damage to the respiratory system leads to various types allergies, bronchial asthma and asthmatic bronchitis.

Damage to the cardiovascular system. Characterized by:

• muffled heart sounds;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• hypotension, trembling fingers;
• increased sweating.

Giardia in the cardiovascular system can cause vegetative-vascular dystonia, anemia, and lead to changes in blood composition.

Defeat genitourinary system. The main way of transmission of Giardia with subsequent damage to the genitourinary system is unprotected sexual intercourse. This type Giardiasis is characterized by a persistent course and a tendency to relapse.

Main symptoms:

• mucous discharge from the urethra;
• painful burning and itching in the anus and genital area;
• pain in the lower abdomen;
• feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

Giardia inside the human body are unpleasant neighbors, which it is better to get rid of in a timely manner so that they do not cause significant harm, and maintaining hygiene and preventive measures will help to avoid an unwanted encounter.

The best medicine for giardiasis

Problems in diagnosing giardiasis

Giardiasis is not a death sentence if you undergo a timely examination and take a course of adequate treatment. The most big problem in the treatment of giardiasis is that this disease in adults does not have pronounced symptoms. For example, if an employee is constantly sad, cries, takes handfuls of antidepressants, lashes out at everyone, cries over every little thing - we can say with almost 100% certainty that she is sick with giardiasis.

If there is a suspicion of a risk of infection, it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination by specialists, strictly follow all doctor’s recommendations, and complete the full course drug therapy. Advanced giardiasis causes irreversible damage to almost all organs and systems in adults, and causes developmental delay in children.

Problems and treatment options for giardiasis

Unfortunately, taking an anthelmintic tablet 1-2 times will not lead to complete relief from Giardia. Even among specialists, there is no single agreed upon standard protocol for the treatment of this disease. This is due to the fact that many anthelmintics cause serious side effects in adults, but generally contraindicated in children; Immunity to Giardia is very unstable, with unclear boundaries for recovery and re-infection. Only a competent specialist can prescribe adequate treatment based on laboratory tests, taking into account the degree of infection, the location of Giardia, and concomitant diseases.

The course of treatment for giardiasis consists of three stages:

Preparatory

Final stage

At this stage, it is necessary to restore the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, digestive organs, and strengthen the immune system. No special treatment is required at this stage; you need to drink a mineral-vitamin restorative complex and immunomodulators.

A specialist prescribes methods for treating giardiasis only after conducting a comprehensive laboratory study, separately for adults and children, taking into account the degree of helminthic infestation and the child’s weight.

Lamblia intestinal - lamblia (giardia) intestinalis- causative agent of giardiasis - anthroponosis.

Giardia was first described by a professor at Kharkov University, a Czech by origin, D.F. Giardiasis in 1859. Giardiasis is widespread among the world's population. Children are especially susceptible to this disease, the infection rate is 50-80%. With age, the level of infection decreases and by the age of 16-17 reaches the level usual for adults (10-15%). The intensity of Giardia infection is very high, especially in areas with hot climates. More often found in Transcaucasia.

Geographical distribution- everywhere.

Localization- duodenum, bile ducts of the liver.

Morphological characteristics. It exists in two forms: 1. Vegetative form - pear-shaped trophozoite (12-14x5-10 µm), has bilateral symmetry, a double set of organelles (2 nuclei, axonemes, 4 pairs of flagella). Axostyle occurs in the center, nutrition is osmotic, and reproduction is asexual. There is a suction disc on the flattened side. 2. Cyst form (8.8 - 12.7 µm): a) immature (2-nuclear); b) mature (4-nuclear).

Development cycle.

The source of infection is a person who excretes Giardia cysts in their feces (up to 300 million cysts per day). The spread of Giardia is facilitated by unfavorable sanitary and hygienic conditions. Depending on the specific situation, infection can occur through dirty hands, various food products, especially those consumed without heat treatment (vegetables, berries, etc.), water, and household items.

Invasive form(cyst) enters a person through the mouth. The vegetative form develops in the duodenum and bile ducts. In the large intestine, conditions for the life of Giardia become less favorable, so Giardia becomes encysted and becomes covered with a dense membrane. Cysts are excreted into the external environment with feces.

Pathogenic effect: dysfunction and absorption capacity of the intestine (deterioration of absorption of fats, carbohydrates and vitamins). Characterized by mechanical irritation and the release of cytotoxins in the intestines. Possible asymptomatic course of the disease - carriage. Possible pain in the right hypochondrium. Toxic products of the breakdown or metabolism of Giardia can cause general disorders in the form of deterioration of general condition, anemia, nervous, mental and other disorders, disorders of gastric and intestinal secretion. The lifespan of Giardia in the intestines is 30-40 days.

Source of infection- a sick person and a carrier.

Diagnostics. Detection of cysts in feces and vegetative forms in duodenal juice during probing. Enzyme immunoassay methods (specific antibodies can be detected in the blood serum of patients with giardiasis and cyst carriers).