Gastro Intestinal Tract

GIARDIA LAMBLIA
( G. INTESTINALIS)

Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Host : human, monkey, rodents, dog, cat

Caused : giardiasis
Cosmopolite
Infects nearly 2% of adults and 6% - 8%

of children in developed countries

worldwide.
33% of people in developing countries
have had giardiasis.
Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Morphology

Trophozoites :
Peer shaped, rounded anteriorly
dorsally convex and flattened ventral site with
sucking disc
size: 12 15 , with 2 nuclei contain
dense central karyosome
Have 4 pairs flagella arising from
axonema
Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Cyst
oval, size 8 12
Have thin tough wall which the

cytoplasm is characteristically seperated

Have : 2 4 nuclei

Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Life cycle

Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Pathogenesis
People infected by swallowing

Giardia cysts from contaminated

food and water
Incubation period : 1 2 weeks
Giardia lamblia do not invade the
tissue
Feed on mucous secretion
Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Clinical Symptoms
Mild infection : asymptomatic
Diarrhea with steatorrheic type of stool
Stomach or abdominal cramps
Upset stomach or nausea/vomiting
Dehydration (loss of fluids)
Chronic : malabsorption syndrome ,

failure of vit B12 absorption

Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Histopathology

Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Diagnosis
Detection of :
trophozoites

in diarrheic stool or
duodenal aspiration
Cyst in formed stool

Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Giardia trophozoites stained with trichrome.

Credit: Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, CDC

Even Semester 2014

5/19/16

Epidemiology
Related to individual hygiene and

environment sanitation
Typically more prevalent in children.
Greater risk are : traveler
(backpackers), men who have sex
with men
Health education play an important
role
Even Semester 2014

5/19/16