Giardia intestinalis

• Giardia intestinalis


  Previous name:

  + Cercomonas intestinalis

  Synonym:

  + Giardia lamblia , Giardia duodenalis
• Giardia intestinalis Other notes:

  History:

  1681 = Originally observed by Anton Van Leeuwenhoek on his own stool

  1859 & 1895 = First described by Vilem Dusan Lambi and called it Cercomonas intestinalis and Alfred Giard.

  1915 = Stiles renamed it as Giardia lamblia in honor of the discoverer.
• Giardia intestinalis CYST


  Size:

  = 8 to 17 um x 6 to 10 um

  Shape:

  = Oval

  Nucleus:

  = 2 for mature cyst, with 4 central karyosomes,

  = NO peripheral chromatin

  Cytoplasm:

  = Retracted from cell wall creating a clear zone.

  Other feature:

  = Median bodies (Parabasal)

  = Interior Flagellar Structure
• Giardia intestinalis TROPHOZOITE


  Size:

  = 8 to 20 um x 5 to 16 um

  Shape:

  = Pear-shaped, Teardrop-shaped, Old man's Glasses

  Nucleus:

  = 2 ovoid shaped, with large karyosome

  = NO Peripheral Chromatin

  Flagella:

  = 4 pairs

  Other Feature:

  = Median Bodies

  = Axonomes

  = Sucking Disc (Mouth)

  = Floating/Falling Leaf-Like Motility
• Other notes:

  Life cycle Notes:

  = Ingestion of Mature cyst from sources

  = Small Intestine

  = Shed in Faces

  + Resistant to Chlorination process

  + Common in the Philippines
• CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:


  = May often show Asymptomatic

  = Traveler's Diarrhea

  + Mild diarrhea

  + Flatulence = " Rotten egg like " Caused by sulfur

  + Malabsorption syndrome
• TREATMENT:

  = Metronidazole (mostly used)

  = Tinidazole

  = Nitazoxanide