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Giardia lamblia, found in contaminated water, infecting the small bowel.

• Sudden diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Some children may have only indigestion and mild diarrhea.
• Loose, bulky, foul smelling stools.
• Slight fever (uncommon).
• Listless child with reduced appetite
• Protruding abdomen

Giardia parasites enter the body through contaminated food or water, and multiply in the small intestine. Local inflammation, causing diarrhea and other symptoms, occurs in 1 to 3 weeks.

• Those living in crowded or unsanitary conditions, especially substandard water supply and poor sanitation system.
• Drinking water from rivers streams etc.

• Either boil or treat water with commercial water purifier.
• Avoid uncooked foods that may have been rinsed in contaminated water.
• Wash hands often, especially before meals, to avoid catching infection from other persons.
• Avoid eating uncovered / unheated food from road side vendors
• Practice careful personal hygiene if you have diarrhea

• Observation of symptoms.
• Medical history and physical exam by a doctor. Specify travel history.
• Laboratory stool studies to detect parasites. May need to be repeated if early studies are negative.

• Chronic bowel inflammation.
• Malabsorption and weight loss.
• Dehydration.
• Irregular / incomplete medication delays recovery.

TREATMENT

• Don't use non-prescription drugs for gastrointestinal problems. These can mask symptoms.
• Your doctor may prescribe some antiparasitic drug, which is very effective.
• Since stool examinations are frequently false-positive, your doctor may treat on the basis of clinical history and examination.