Giardia
Different views of a Giardia cyst
Giardia ( Giardia ) are a genus of microscopic small intestinal parasites. They are similar to coccidia, traditionally seen as protozoa, that is, there are heterotrophic ( " animal " ) unicellular. They are found worldwide in a variety of mammals, but also in amphibians, reptiles and birds. For humans, they make as zoonotic a risk; Widespread representatives of Giardia Giardia intestinalis is also known as Giardia lamblia or Giardia duodenalis, which infects birds and mammals. Giardia agilis occurs in reptiles, Giardia muris in rodents and birds.
The intestinal parasites have a pear- shaped form with two typical nuclei (in reality nuclei of heredity ) have the appearance of a pair of eyes. To move forward, use their Giardia flagella. With the help of her belly holdfast diarrheal pathogens are able to stick to the intestinal wall of the host, that is, they do not penetrate into the tissue. There, they then multiply millions of times on the surface of the intestinal mucosa.
To other creatures ( among others including humans) to attack, each two Giardia surrounded by a protective shell and can be eliminated via the faeces. By the hull they are for days to weeks only before they are absorbed by new host via contaminated water or food. The infectious parasites remain in moist soils up to seven weeks infectious, in cool water (4 ° C) for up to three months, and indeed it can remain viable for several months under optimal conditions.
Many people and animals harboring Giardia in the intestine, without feeling sick. Nevertheless, they excrete the parasites from her chair. Other affected individuals suffer from nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. In humans, infection with Giardia is usually explained with a trip to tropical regions or adventure travel in the great outdoors. In fact, the hygienic conditions in these areas, or " camps " often insufficient, so that a contagion through water or food is easily possible.
Giardia are a problem in drinking water treatment, it can be completely kill either by chlorine or ultraviolet radiation. For this reason, surface water treatment is frequently used ultrafiltration, in order to filter off the.
Species
The genus includes 41 species ( in parentheses after the name of the indication to the host ):
- Giardia agilis ( tadpoles of frogs )
- Giardia ardeae ( heron)
- Giardia beckeri ( Spermophilus tridecemlineatus )
- Giardia Beltrani ( House Sparrow )
- Giardia botauri ( American Bittern )
- Giardia bovis (bovine )
- Giardia bradypi ( sloths )
- Giardia canis (dogs )
- Giardia caprae ( goats and sheep)
- Giardia cati ( Cats)
- Giardia caviae (guinea pig)
- Giardia chinchillae ( Chinchilla )
- Giardia dasi ( civets )
- Giardia equii (Horses)
- Giardia floridae ( heron)
- Giardia hegneri ( Viverra tangalunga )
- Giardia herodiadis (Medium heron)
- Giardia hyderabadensis (birds )
- Giardia intestinalis (Various mammals, including humans )
- Giardia irarae ( Irara barbara )
- Giardia marginalis (birds )
- Giardia melospizae (birds )
- Giardia microti ( voles )
- Giardia muris (rodents )
- Giardia nycticori (birds )
- Giardia ondatrae ( muskrat )
- Giardia otomyis ( Otomys irroratus )
- Giardia pitymysi ( Pitymys savii )
- Giardia pseudoardeae (birds )
- Giardia psittaci ( parrots)
- Giardia recurvirostrae (birds )
- Giardia sanguinis (birds )
- Giardia serpentis ( toads Otter )
- Giardia simoni ( brown rat )
- Giardia stubborn harboring (birds )
- Giardia suricatae ( meerkat )
- Giardia Tucani ( toucans )
- Giardia Varani ( monitor lizards )
- Giardia viscaciae ( Viscacha )
- Giardia wenyoni ( Schlankloris )