Giardiasis (also known as beaver fever) is a disease caused by the flagellate protozoan Giardia lamblia (also Giardia intestinalis). The giardia organism inhabits the digestinal tract of a wide variety of domestic and wild animal species as well as humans. It is a common cause of gastroenteritis in humans, infecting approximately 200 million people worldwide.
Giardiasis is passed via the fecal-oral route. Primary routes are personal contact and contaminated water and food. People who spend time in institutional or day-care environments are more susceptible, as are travelers and those who consume improperly treated water. It is a particular danger to people hiking or backpacking in wilderness areas worldwide. Giardia is suspected to be zoonotic -- communicable between animals and humans. Major reservoir hosts would include beavers, dogs, cats, horses, and cattle.
Symptoms include loss of appetite, lethargy, explosive diarrhea, loose or watery stool, stomach cramps, upset stomach, bloating, and flatulence. Symptoms typically begin 1-2 weeks after infection and may wane and reappear cyclically. Symptoms are caused largely by the thick coating of Giardia organisms coating the inside of the small intestine and blocking nutrient absorption. Most people are asymptomatic; only about a third of infected people exhibit symptoms.
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Food and Water Borne :: Conditions and Diseases
Zoonoses

Bad Bug Book: Giardia lamblia - Features cause, symptoms, risk factors, complications, and outbreaks.
Meta Description: [ Provides basic facts about giardia lamblia. ]
CDC Division of Parasitic Diseases - Giardiasis - Factsheets and articles with cause, risk factors, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
eMedicine Health - Giardiasis - Consumer health resource center providing information on the causes, symptoms, and treatment of giardiasis.
Meta Description: [ 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 cysts often found in water ... ]
Giardiasis - Beaver Fever - Fact sheet on the disease with cause, transmission, prevention, and treatment.
Meta Description: [ The BC HealthFiles are a series of over 180 one-page, easy to understand fact sheets about a wide range of public and environmental health and safety issues. ]
Giardiasis - Familydoctor.org - Factsheet with cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Meta Description: [ Information on Giardiasis from the American Academy of Family Physicians. ]
Giardiasis Facts - Factsheet with cause, prevention, symptoms, and treament.
Kidshealth: Giardiasis - Features cause, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Meta Description: [ Giardiasis, one of the chief causes of diarrhea in the United States, is an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite. ]
MedicineNet: Giardiasis - Doctor produced consumer health information including what is giardiasis, who is at risk, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
Meta Description: [ Giardiasis, or giardia lamblia is an intestinal infection caused by the parasite giardia lamblia. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and bloating. ]
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Giardiasis - Features cause, diagnosis, tests, symptoms, and prevention.
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