Giardiasis refers to parasitic infections. Its causative agent is a parasite of the flagellate genus from the protozoan family. Infection with Giardia is often found in children with a reduced immune status, starting from the age of the newborn, as well as in adults. The parasite carries out its vital activity mainly in the small intestine.
Giardia is not visible to the naked eye, so they have a size of 9-20 microns. They parasitize in the body in the form of cysts – an immobile form in a special shell, and in the form of a mobile form of a unicellular parasite. Giardia in children causes complications of the gastrointestinal tract, growth and development disorders.
Ways of infection with Giardia children
If a child has swallowed more than 10 cysts, it is safe to say that he is infected with Giardia. Parasites can be found in the soil and sand of playgrounds, in water from an unfavorable source or reservoir. Giardia is found in breast milk, on the surface of unwashed vegetables and fruits.
Ways of infection with Giardia:
The use of unboiled water;
Infection while swimming in a pond;
Contact with clothes, things of the carrier of invasion;
The use of insufficiently washed products that are not subjected to appropriate cooking.
What are the symptoms of Giardia in children?
Giardia in children does not have specific symptoms that are unique to this disease. It is possible to diagnose “giardiasis” in a child by a complex of symptoms.
Disease manifestations:
The normal process of digestion is disturbed, prolonged diarrhea appears, it is distinguished by stench, sticks to the walls of the pot. It is necessary to differentiate giardiasis from intestinal dysbacteriosis.
There is pain in the abdomen, the younger children cannot show the place of its localization, the older ones note that it hurts under the right rib and in the navel area.
Periodically there is nausea and vomiting.
The child loses weight, or gains it at a pace that is not characteristic of age norms;
The body temperature is close to subfebrile values, most often it rises in the evenings, it can have such values for two weeks or longer, the child experiences chills.
Red or pink rashes appear on the skin, skin itching is noted.
From time to time, the child develops a paroxysmal suffocating cough, similar to a dry cough of an allergic nature.
Children have enlarged lymph nodes, the size of the liver and spleen.
The number of eosinophils in the blood exceeds the norm.