Giardia intestinal localization. Giardia in the body in adults: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. How to treat with folk remedies

Cysts live for a long time in the environment. Resistant to disinfectants, found in chlorinated water. Spore lifespan:

• in reservoirs 3 months;
• water in pipelines – 1 month;
• sea ​​– 1.5 months in warm weather, 3 months in winter;
• on the surface of household items and personal belongings – 3 months;
• feces - until it dries;
• soil – 3 months;
• urine – 3 days.

I die instantly when boiled. Water invasion occurs through the entry of feces from a sick person into the source. For food from the soil, from a sick person. People with weak immunity, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, and children under 10 years of age are susceptible to invasion.

During their activity, Giardia excretes excrement, which provokes the development of toxicosis. The composition of the blood changes, metabolism is disrupted. Intestinal cells that do not receive the necessary substances are destroyed. Microcracks, atrophy, and inflammation appear on the mucous membrane of the digestive organ. Intestinal dysbiosis develops with all the negative consequences.

Waste products, toxins, and dead lamblia enter the blood. As a result, an allergic reaction appears on the skin. It is often diagnosed as atopic dermatitis, urticaria, or eczema. As well as respiratory tract pathologies - asthma.

Localization of Giardia in adults

An infectious disease specialist is responsible for establishing the diagnosis and treatment of giardiasis. The doctor takes into account the patient’s complaints, symptoms of the disease, existing pathologies, and prescribes an examination. Verification without laboratory testing is impossible. To identify the causative agent of giardiasis, it is necessary to donate feces and blood. A stool test reveals the presence of cysts in the human body, and a blood test determines antibodies. Currently, modern research methods quickly detect the presence of a pathogen. However, at the initial stage of the disease, verification can be difficult - stool analysis can be negative. To obtain a reliable result, the study is carried out several times - from 3 to 5. In severe cases, feces are taken using a special procedure from the intestine.

Giardiasis is characterized by several forms of diseases. According to the degree of activity and frequency of symptoms, acute and chronic forms are distinguished. The acute form is characterized by the rapid, noticeable development of giardiasis. It is in such cases that patients seek qualified help. The chronic form of giardiasis is disguised as the pathology of other diseases and is diagnosed by chance in most cases.

Forms of giardiasis:

• subclinical – occupies 50% of all cases;
• asymptomatic – 25%;
• manifest – up to 44%.

The last form of the disease also has its own classification. Depends on the location of Giardia.

The clinical manifestation of symptoms depends on the presence of other chronic diseases in the body and general health.

Giardia in adults: symptoms

Since disruption of the intestines reduces immunity and irritates the nervous system, an adult develops tearfulness, loss of strength, weakness, irritability, and bad mood. According to the World Health Organization, 40% of the world's population is infected with giardiasis. In most cases, they learn about this by accident, which is due to the complex specificity of the symptoms of giardiasis. A sick person turns to specialists for help with complaints of other diseases, the provocateurs of which are Giardia. Treatment does not give the desired effect, since the true causative agent of the infection continues to develop in the intestines. In general, the symptoms of giardiasis can be divided into several groups.

Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract

In adults, symptoms of giardiasis, with acute manifestations: vomiting, nausea, diarrhea with foamy stool, bloating, pain without specific localization in the abdominal area. With mild manifestations or in a chronic form, the patient experiences constant nausea, with periodic pain in the stomach and pancreas. There is inflammatory bowel syndrome with rumbling, bloating, and pain around the navel. Bad breath, coating on the tongue. Appetite decreases or food preferences change - you crave sweets. Heartburn appears periodically. At the beginning of the disease, stools are frequent and loose – up to 5 times a day. Then it becomes half-formed. Diarrhea alternates with constipation. The duration of the acute phase is no more than 7 days.

Biliary tract disorder

Occurs when the liver ducts and gallbladder tracts are damaged. Symptoms of giardiasis: pain in the right hypochondrium, bitter taste in the mouth. There are manifestations of pancreatitis, gastritis, cholecystitis. 50% of patients experience changes in the functioning of the pancreas.

Nervous system dysfunction

Symptoms of giardiasis: disturbance of intestinal microflora, unpleasant manifestations of gastrointestinal diseases affect the state of the nervous system. A person has chronic headache, weakness, fatigue, irritability, poor sleep at night, and drowsiness during the day. Mood worsens, irritability and aggressiveness appear. Along with this - tearfulness, impressionability, decreased self-esteem. Attacks of dizziness often occur.

Toxic-allergic symptoms of giardiasis in adults

Blood with toxins and Giardia feces causes allergies, which are manifested by dermatitis, itching, redness, swelling, and burning. In rare cases, Quincke's edema develops. The allergy is chronic with frequent relapses. Treatment with antihistamines and corticosteroids give temporary results. Acne on the face of unknown etiology can also be a symptom of giardiasis. Giardia affects the condition of the skin indirectly. Their presence disrupts metabolism, weakens the body, and allows other pathogenic microorganisms to develop. Intestinal dysfunction causes allergies, rashes on the skin of the face and back. The constant presence of toxins only deepens the problem. Inflammation of the adenoids may occur. Other manifestations of the disease are rhinitis, conjunctivitis, cheilitis, bronchial asthma, and other pathologies of allergic origin.

The mixed form of giardiasis brings all manifestations of the disease into one group. You should be tested for Giardia if you experience:

With such symptoms you should go to an infectious disease specialist.

Giardiasis in adults: treatment

After confirming the diagnosis, the infectious disease doctor prescribes treatment. Qualified therapy consists of several stages. In this case, the main condition is careful adherence to hygiene rules, cleaning the house, boiling bedding, ironing underwear with steam. If giardiasis is detected in one of the family members, everyone living under the same roof, including pets, should be treated at the same time.

Preparatory stage of treatment

Basic treatment

Aimed at strengthening the immune system, restoring the vitality of the body, and restoring the normal functioning of internal organs. To restore the intestinal microflora, take probiotics - Enterol, Lactiale. Hilak, Bifidumbacterin, Linex and others. To maintain the body, they drink vitamins. They stick to the same diet, but introduce more vegetables and fruits, which contain a large amount of natural vitamins and beneficial microelements. To strengthen the immune system, immunomodulators are taken in severe cases; in all other cases, herbal remedies are taken. At the recovery stage, folk remedies play a very important role.

Concomitant therapy of pathologies

You should pay attention to the condition of the liver. The internal organ was subjected to severe stress. If there are no alarming manifestations of pathology of this organ, you can take traditional medicine to support the liver. Among pharmaceutical products you can use Karsil, Essentiale, Ovesol, Galstena, Gepabene.

Biliary tract pathology and cholecystitis are treated with antibacterial agents - Tetracyclines, Penicillins, Macrolides. The entire biliary tract with cholecystitis is relaxed by Platyfillin, Papaverine, Odeston.

To calm the nervous system, take tincture of motherwort and valerian.

Treatment takes on average 1 month. In severe cases, a repeat course is given. To get rid of giardiasis forever, you need to strengthen your immune system, follow hygiene rules, properly process food before consumption, and drink raw water from proven sources. As a preventive measure, you should cleanse your body once a year. Folk remedies are well suited for these purposes, for example, pumpkin seeds, garlic, onions, herbal teas from wormwood, tansy, and cloves.

Protozoal invasion caused by intestinal lamblia and occurring with signs of a functional digestive disorder. The leading one in the clinic of giardiasis is gastrointestinal syndrome (nausea, abdominal pain, unstable stool, flatulence); intoxication, allergic, astheno-neurotic, hepatolienal syndromes can also develop. For laboratory confirmation of giardiasis, microscopic examination of feces and duodenal contents, ELISA, PCR, and analysis of biopsy material are performed. For the purpose of specific therapy for giardiasis, antiprotozoal drugs (metronidazole, tinidazole, ornidazole, etc.) are prescribed; additionally - choleretic drugs, enzymes, enterosorbents.

General information

Causes of giardiasis

The source of the spread of giardiasis pathogens is an infected person, who releases mature Giardia cysts with feces into the environment. The epidemiological role of animals that are carriers of Giardia (dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, etc.) cannot be ruled out. Mechanical carriers of pathogens can be flies, cockroaches and other insects. Giardiasis infection occurs through the fecal-oral mechanism; water, food, contact and household routes. The leading factors of infection transmission are unboiled water, food, hands, common objects, soil contaminated with Giardia cysts. The infestation of the population with giardiasis is facilitated by fecal pollution of the environment, poor state of water supply, overcrowding of people, and low level of sanitary and hygienic skills of the population. Predisposing factors include age under 10 years, malnutrition and dystrophy, congenital anomalies of the biliary tract, gastrointestinal diseases with decreased acidity and enzymatic activity, previous gastrectomy, protein starvation, etc. A surge in the incidence of giardiasis is recorded in the spring-summer season.

Pathogenesis

Once in the digestive tract, Giardia cysts reach the duodenum, where they transform into vegetative forms. Here, as well as in the proximal jejunum, Giardia attaches to the villi of the epithelium, causing mechanical damage to enterocytes, irritation of the nerve endings of the small intestine wall, and disruption of the absorption process. The consequence of these processes is the development of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (duodenitis, enteritis), malabsorption syndrome, secondary fermentopathy, dysbacteriosis, chronic endogenous intoxication syndrome. Giardiasis can contribute to the chronicity of helminthiasis and other intestinal infections (salmonellosis, dysentery, yersiniosis). It has been proven that during the life of Giardia, they secrete a toxin that has a tropism for nervous tissue, which explains the inhibitory effect on the nervous system. Due to sensitization of the body by protozoal antigens, various allergic manifestations can develop during giardiasis, especially characteristic of children with lymphatic-hypoplastic diathesis.

Classification

Giardiasis can occur in the form of asymptomatic giardia carriers (25%), subclinical (50%) and manifest forms (25%). Depending on the leading clinical manifestations of manifest giardiasis, they are distinguished:

• intestinal form, including functional intestinal disorder, duodenitis, duodenogastric reflux, gastroenteritis, enteritis;
• biliary-pancreatic form, occurring with symptoms of biliary dyskinesia, cholangitis, cholecystitis, reactive pancreatitis;
• extraintestinal form, accompanied by astheno-neurotic syndrome, neurocirculatory dystonia, toxic-allergic manifestations;
• mixed form.

Clinically pronounced giardiasis can have an acute and chronic course.

Symptoms of giardiasis

The intoxication syndrome in giardiasis directly depends on the massiveness of the invasion, the duration and severity of the disease. It can manifest as peripheral lymphadenitis, enlarged adenoids, and low-grade fever. Signs of central nervous system depression in giardiasis include irritability, fatigue, decreased performance, emotional lability, and bruxism. Children may experience tics, hyperkinesis, hypotonic crises and fainting states. Dermatoallergic manifestations include dryness and flaking of the skin, keratosis pilaris, urticaria with itchy skin, atopic dermatitis, etc. Patients with giardiasis often suffer from persistent blepharitis and conjunctivitis, cheilitis; asthmatic bronchitis and bronchial asthma.

Diagnosis of giardiasis

Clinical recognition of giardiasis is difficult due to the wide variety and nonspecificity of symptoms. Clinical manifestations of giardiasis are often explained by other reasons, and patients are treated by a gastroenterologist, neurologist, allergist, pulmonologist, and dermatologist for individual syndromes.

An objective examination of patients with giardiasis reveals pallor of the skin, coated tongue, bloating, enlarged liver, and pain in the mesogastrium. Using ultrasound of the hepatobiliary system and cholecystography, biliary dyskinesia with signs of cholestasis are detected. Changes in the hemogram are represented by eosinophilia and monocytosis. A biochemical blood test reveals hypogammaglobulinemia, hypoalbuminemia, and increased alkaline phosphatase levels. Examination of stool for dysbacteriosis reveals changes in the intestinal microflora: a decrease in the number of lacto- and bifidobacteria, the appearance of pathogenic microorganisms (staphylococci and streptococci, Candida fungi, etc.).

Treatment of giardiasis

The preparatory stage includes rational diet therapy aimed at creating unfavorable conditions for the proliferation of Giardia in the body. This diet involves the consumption of cereals, bran, vegetables and fruits, vegetable oil; limiting carbohydrates, mainly sugars. It is useful to carry out fasting days; tubes with mineral water, xylitol, sorbitol; taking choleretic and antihistamine drugs.

The medical stage of treatment of giardiasis is carried out with special antiprotozoal drugs (metronidazole, tinidazole, ornidazole, nimorazole, albendazole, furazolidone, etc.) and usually consists of 2 courses. At the final, recovery stage, multivitamin preparations, enterosorbents, bacterial and enzymatic preparations, herbal adaptogens, immunostimulants, and herbal medicine are prescribed.

is a well-known parasitic disease that primarily affects the human small intestine. Many people often confuse Giardia with parasitic worms - helminths. Yes, both of them are parasites, living at the expense of their host - humans. The difference is that Giardia is the simplest, smallest creature, consisting of only one cell, but at the same time functioning as a single integral microorganism.

Giardia - their anatomy and physiology

Giardia exists in two forms, which transform into one another in the course of their life.

Cysts– rounded formations, slightly smaller than trophozoites. The cyst is a protective shell under which a young, not yet fully formed trophozoid is reliably preserved from unfavorable environmental factors.

There is a vicious circle that will not end until basic hygiene rules are observed and appropriate adequate treatment is taken. The spread of giardiasis is more often observed in children of primary school age, especially in those who live in private houses with a toilet on the street. But don’t think that giardiasis occurs only in children. Any person is susceptible to the disease, no matter how strong their immune system is.

Symptoms of giardiasis

Being localized in the small intestine, most symptoms of the disease are associated with the gastrointestinal tract. There are also extraintestinal symptoms associated with allergic disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Allergic manifestations can be:

• Small pinpoint rashes on the skin.
• Itching in the area of ​​the rash, in the nose and near the anus.
• Respiratory disorders in the form of bronchial asthma, rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal mucosa).
• Conjunctivitis– inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes.

Diagnosis of giardiasis

To make a diagnosis, several methods are used, the main of which is the detection of Giardia cysts in the patient’s stool, in the contents of the duodenum, or by taking a piece of small intestinal tissue (biopsy).

To exclude the diagnosis of giardiasis in the chronic course of the disease, repeat stool tests are taken at intervals of seven days for four to five weeks. The contents of feces are subjected to microscopy, and in some cases trophozoids can also be detected.

In addition, the effectiveness of treatment depends in conjunction with a number of measures, the observance of which entirely determines the success of the treatment. Such measures include primarily drug therapy, compliance with hygiene measures, and diets, depending on the changes that have occurred in the gastrointestinal tract.

Drug therapy

Metronidazole (trichopolum)– is rightfully considered the drug of choice in the treatment of giardiasis. The mechanism of action is associated with inhibition of vital activity not only of Giardia but also of most protozoan microorganisms. It also affects certain types of pathogenic bacteria that often accompany various inflammatory processes. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, thereby improving the general condition and accelerating the healing process.
The recommended dose is 5 mg/kg body weight per day.

The dosage regimen is three doses of the drug per day. The duration of treatment varies from 7 to 10 days.

Tinidazole (phasizhin) And Ornidazole (Tibiral) taken in a single dose of 5 mg/kg.

Furazolidone– a drug with antiseptic and antimicrobial properties.

Application. Furazolidone is taken as a suspension at a dose of 2 mg/kg per day. The frequency of administration is 4 times a day. The course of treatment is carried out for 7 – 10 days.

By observing all the above measures, you will always feel safe and confident in your own health.

Why do children get giardiasis more often?

A child of any age, even a newborn, is not immune from Giardia infection.

However, giardiasis occurs most often in preschool children: according to statistics, about 30-50% of children attending preschool institutions are infected with giardia, since there is a large crowding in children's groups, and the risk of infection increases significantly. Whereas among “home children” this figure is two times less.

Children's susceptibility to Giardia is associated with two factors:

At asymptomatic form Sick children have no manifestations of the disease, and Giardia is detected by chance during examination.

Acute giardiasis

Develops in about 50% of children infected with Giardia. The first symptoms of the disease appear 7-21 days after infection.

However, if the disease does develop, then pronounced disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract come to the fore: profuse loose stools, nausea and vomiting, bloating, refusal to eat or decreased appetite. There is also seemingly causeless anxiety and periodic increases in body temperature to 37-38°C.

In the future, children lag behind in physical development and gain weight poorly, which is caused by impaired digestion and absorption of nutrients.

How does giardiasis occur in pregnant women?

At acute form signs of illness appear gastroenteritis- inflammatory disease of the stomach and intestines. Frequent, loose, profuse stools appear with an unpleasant odor, but do not contain impurities (mucus, blood). There is bloating and pain in the abdomen, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting. Sometimes the body temperature rises to 38-38.5°C, and a pinpoint rash appears on the body.

At chronic form diseases, the expectant mother is worried about constant bloating, unstable stools (constipation alternating with diarrhea), abdominal pain, severe weakness, dizziness and headaches, nausea, allergic reactions (food allergies, skin rashes and others).

However, the disease may be asymptomatic, or the expectant mother regards its signs as manifestations toxicosis. Therefore, he does not consult a doctor in a timely manner.

Why is giardiasis dangerous during pregnancy?

Giardia itself is not able to penetrate the placenta and infect the fetus, but the disease adversely affects the course of pregnancy and the condition of the fetus. Since the waste products of Giardia and the decay of dead individuals enter the blood, worsening the mother's well-being and increasing the manifestations of toxicosis.

Besides, the fetus does not receive enough nutrients due to the fact that digestion is impaired, as well as the absorption of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Giardiasis can lead to the development of one of the most serious complications of pregnancy: chronic fetoplacental insufficiency. Therefore, the functions of the placenta are disrupted: delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, production of hormones, excretion of fetal waste products, protection against penetration toxins and infections from the mother's body to the fetus.

When placental insufficiency develops early in pregnancy (before 16 weeks), there is a high likelihood miscarriage.

If the condition occurs late in pregnancy (after 16 weeks), normal fetal development is often disrupted. As a result, a child may be born with intrauterine growth retardation (low weight and/or height), with immature organs and systems. There is also a high risk of premature childbirth.

However, if changes in the placenta are not pronounced, then compensatory mechanisms are triggered, so a full-term and healthy baby is born.

What types of skin rashes occur with giardiasis (photo)?

The most pronounced changes are in skin when the allergic component predominates during the course of the disease.

Also, bright skin manifestations are present in patients who, before infection, already suffered from allergic diseases (for example, bronchial asthma). Moreover, the character and abundance rashes depend more on the initial state of the patient’s immune system than on the amount of Giardia in the body.

Hives manifests itself as bubbles filled with a clear liquid, which in some cases merge with each other. After some time during treatment, they disappear, but reappear when exposed to a provoking factor - food, pollen and others.

Infantile prurigo or struffulus- a type of urticaria with severe itching that develops in children from six months to three to five years. Initially, bubbles filled with clear liquid appear on the skin. After a short period of time, they thicken, turning into pink-brown nodules, on top of which there are small bubbles.

Most often, the rashes are located in large folds of skin (under the armpits, in the perineum), but can also spread to the torso.

Children's pruritus is persistent and therefore persists even after the cessation of exposure to the allergen. However, in most cases it disappears without a trace when the child reaches three to five years of age.

Eczema is an allergic skin lesion in the form of weeping small blisters that appear against the background of reddened and swollen skin. Bubbles most often occur symmetrically, on both sides of the body simultaneously, and tend to cluster. “Favorite” places for eczema are the skin of the neck and face. However, they can appear on any part of the body.

After opening, crusts and scales form in place of the bubbles, which do not have clear boundaries. If this process becomes prolonged, the skin at the site of the rash thickens and thickens.

The rash is accompanied by severe itching and burning at all stages of its development.

Neurodermatitis manifests itself as symmetrical skin rashes, which can be located in the inguinal and axillary folds, elbow and popliteal folds, on the face, neck and limbs, and scalp.

According to the nature of the rash with neurodermatitis, they undergo changes in their development. Initially, pale pink nodules or lumps with severe itching appear on the skin. Then they grow and merge into large lesions, on the surface of which scales and crusts form.

Severe painful skin itching- the result of a violation of the binding of bile acids. Itching may appear without any rash on the skin, but if it persists for a long time, there are traces of scratching on the skin.

How is giardiasis treated in children (scheme)?

There is no uniform approach and standard for the treatment of giardiasis due to several circumstances:

• Many drugs have side effects, which are undesirable for a growing body.
• The child’s general condition may worsen due to increased symptoms of the disease on the second or third day from the start of treatment: nausea, allergic manifestations and others. This reaction occurs due to the massive death of Giardia and the formation of toxins.
• Giardia has developed resistance to the most commonly previously used drugs.
• Sometimes co-infection with bacteria or fungi occurs ( Candida, Helicobacter pylori and others), which often requires additional medications.
• After successful treatment of giardiasis, unstable immunity is developed, so re-infection is possible.

There are two approaches to treating giardiasis:

Designed to increase the effectiveness of the drugs used and reduce the severity of symptoms of exacerbation of giardiasis.

The first stage is preparatory

Goals: normalization of the gastrointestinal tract and creation of conditions to reduce the amount of lamblia in the body.

Drugs used

1. Enterosorbents : Smecta, Enterosgel, Laktofiltrum and others.

They do not directly affect Giardia, but create unfavorable conditions for their growth and reproduction.

Operating principle: binding, as well as the removal of toxins, bacteria and various substances ( bilirubin , cholesterol, allergens and others) from the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, some enterosorbents create conditions for the proliferation of beneficial flora in the intestines (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli).

2. Medicines containing lactulose(Duphalac) are prescribed for constipation.

The second stage is the destruction of Giardia

It is carried out in two courses of antigiardiasis drugs of different groups with an interval of one week between them.

Medicines used

Choice of antigiardiasis drug

For the first course depending on the age of the child, it is recommended to use Ornidazole or Tinidazole, for the second- Macmiror or Albendazole.

In parallel with antigiardiasis treatment, the following medications are used:

• To reduce allergic manifestations Children are recommended to be prescribed desensitizing drugs. For example, starting from six months - Zyrtec(Cetirizine), over 12 years old - Telfast.
• To improve treatment tolerability, it is advisable to use Wobenzym- a drug that has immunomodulatory, enzymatic, anti-inflammatory and decongestant effects.

The third stage is the final one

Drugs are prescribed for restoration of normal intestinal microflora: Enterol, Lactobacterin, Probifor and others.

With the aim of replenishing the body with vitamins and microelements complex preparations are used: Stimbifid, Alphabet, Vitrum and others.

To improve the functioning of the immune system Sometimes immunostimulants are prescribed: Polyoxidonium, Lykopid and others. However, if possible, it is better to establish a balanced diet rather than use synthetic drugs.

Attention ! All medications for the treatment of giardiasis are prescribed only by a doctor, taking into account age and baby's weight, as well as the course of the disease.

How is giardiasis treated in pregnant women?

If the disease is asymptomatic, the expectant mother is in good health and the fetus is developing, it is recommended to refrain from treating giardiasis during pregnancy.

In other cases, the decision to use drugs to combat Giardia accepted individually, since traditional medications (Tinidazole, Macmiror and others) are contraindicated for use in the first three months of pregnancy.

However, there is a drug that can be used regardless of the stage of pregnancy: Enterofuril. Since the results of the studies did not reveal its negative effects on the fetus.

In addition, at Enterofuril has two advantages:

• It is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, minimizing the risk of allergic reactions.
• Does not disrupt normal intestinal microflora.

However, in the early stages of pregnancy (up to 12 weeks), Enterofuril is recommended to be prescribed with caution: when the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the risk of negative effects on the fetus.

What is the treatment for giardiasis with folk remedies?

Medicines are not always 100% effective against Giardia. Therefore, sometimes, to achieve better treatment results, it is advisable to combine pharmaceutical drugs with folk remedies, the action of which is based on anthelmintic properties.

Recipe No. 1: Horseradish tincture

Take one kilogram of unpeeled horseradish root and mince it. Place the resulting mass in a three-liter jar and fill it to the top with boiled, cooled water. Then put the jar in the refrigerator for three days, then strain and squeeze out the raw materials. Store the resulting infusion in the refrigerator.

Accept one tablespoon three times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 4-5 weeks.

Recipe No. 2: Honey-plantain mixture

It is necessary to collect plantain leaves at the time of flowering. Then rinse and grind in a meat grinder. Mix the resulting raw materials with honey in a 1:1 ratio and store in the refrigerator.

Accept one tablespoon three times a day 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 30 days.

Recipe No. 3: Mixture of flax seeds and cloves

Pass the dried clove buds and flax seeds separately through a coffee grinder. Then mix in a ratio of 10 parts flax seeds: 1 part clove buds.

Accept 25 grams daily if the patient’s weight is about 70-75 kg. If the patient weighs less or more, then divide this figure by three. The resulting figure means the number of grams that need to be taken daily.

The product can be added to food or consumed in its pure form with water. The course of treatment is 30 days.

What are the consequences of giardiasis?

They are more pronounced in children than in adults, since their compensatory mechanisms are imperfect.

Gets hit the immune system, since Giardia suppresses her work, making her weak. Therefore, the patient more often suffers from viral and bacterial infections.

Often develop diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: biliary dyskinesia, pancreatitis, chronic gastritis(inflammation of the stomach lining) or gastroduodenitis(inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum). Moreover, after removing Giardia from the body, recovery does not always occur, so the developed ailments become chronic.

In humans there are many varieties, which have now been quite well studied.

Intestinal lamblia was first described by the doctor V. Lambl in 1859 and was named after his last name.

The geographic distribution of intestinal lamblia has virtually no boundaries, although it is most often diagnosed in developing countries.

The reason for this is the conditions and lifestyle caused by poor sanitation. However, in developed countries there is a fairly high percentage of Giardia infections, especially in children's groups, where it can reach 50-80%.

The structure of trophoisitis is primitive, which is typical of protozoa: in appearance they resemble a pear cut in half, measuring 9x12 microns.

The transparent cell of trophoisitis has 2 nuclei and 4 pairs of flagella, as well as a special disk to adhere to the mucous membrane of the intestinal tract, mainly the small intestine.

Trophoisites are able to live only in the intestines; Once in the external environment, they do not survive. But in their intestines they have “both a table and a house,” and on the “table” is food digested by the owner (that is, a person).

They live like this for about 40 days, actively reproducing through division. The numbers are simply terrifying: every 15-20 minutes the number of intestinal lamblia doubles, and per 1 sq. cm of intestinal mucosa there are up to a million of them!

The vegetative stage of intestinal Giardia is the stage of active life, including reproduction.

With the advancement of intestinal contents, lamblia enters the large intestine, where it changes and passes into the cyst stage.

The cyst does not stay in the rectum for a long time, but is removed from the intestine into the external environment, from where, after some time, it enters the human body again.

The structure of the cyst allows it to exist even in the most unfavorable environmental conditions: its viability remains in water for about 5 days, and in the ground for up to 3 months.

Cysts can die only in two cases: either after completely drying out within a day, or under extreme exposure (although they can withstand +70°C for up to 10 minutes).

Once in the human body, the cyst shell protects it from the effects of gastric juice for some time, but when it gets into ideal conditions - into the duodenum, the vegetative phase and active reproduction of Giardia begins.

This is what the lamblia development cycle looks like.

Routes of infection with intestinal lamblia

Scientific studies have shown that if at least one cyst enters the human body, then with a 30 percent chance he will develop symptoms of intestinal giardiasis.

In the vast majority of cases, Giardia cysts enter the human body in the following ways:

• through unwashed hands;
• through water contaminated with Giardia, including when swimming in open water;
• through food products that do not undergo heat treatment (fruits, berries, fresh vegetables);
• through prepared meals and baked goods left open on the table;
• through common household items (towels, door handles, in public transport, etc.);
• through contact with animals.

It is not for nothing that the fight against flies and cockroaches is considered one of the most important ways to prevent Giardia infection - these, at first glance, harmless insects are their main carriers in everyday life.

Symptoms of intestinal giardiasis and its diagnosis

Diagnosis of Giardia infection is often difficult due to the similarity of the symptoms of this disease with other diseases of the digestive system.

Complaints are mainly about intestinal function:

• pain in the upper abdomen and navel area;
• nausea and vomiting, accompanied by flatulence and rumbling in the stomach;
• diarrhea followed by constipation;
• lack of appetite;
• sudden weight loss to the point of exhaustion;
• general deterioration in health (weakness, fatigue, sleep disturbances, dizziness);
• sudden increase in temperature to 38°C or more, accompanied by chills and fever;
• pink-red rash on the skin.

The last two symptoms are characteristic of the acute phase of giardiasis lasting 2-3 weeks. Despite the fact that Giardia is present in the intestines, the disease in adults can go away on its own, especially with good immunity, but it can also become chronic.

The chronic form of giardiasis is characterized by the following symptoms, in addition to those indicated above:

• hypovitaminosis, which worsens the condition of the skin (peeling), nails and hair; cracks and jams appear on the lips;
• apathy and depression;
• headaches and migraines;
• painful sensations in the liver area (in children it increases);
• the appearance of a bitter taste in the mouth, and a yellow coating on the tongue;
• in children, decreased concentration and deterioration in academic performance;
• the appearance of a dry cough.

Even if there is no suspicion of intestinal lamblia, it is necessary to consult a doctor and undergo the appropriate tests.

Take a Giardia test

Basic methods for identifying intestinal lamblia:

• fluorescent microscopic examination of feces and duodenal contents;
• PCR method;
• a serological method for detecting specific immunoglobulins in blood serum both to identify the disease giardiasis and to determine its stage;
• immunological to determine antigens or antibodies to the causative agent of the disease - Giardia.

Sometimes additional studies (biochemical, scatological, general clinical) are also used to detect Giardia.

You should immediately warn that since they are excreted from the intestines periodically, it may be necessary at intervals of 2-3 days. However, as a rule, Giardia is detected in the first analysis.

How are intestinal lamblia treated?

Treatment of Giardia is a complex of measures, including:

• elimination of symptoms;
• drug therapy to destroy Giardia;
• diet;
• strengthening the immune system.

How to treat lamblia,determined only by a specialist after diagnosis.

The most common treatments for Giardia are Ornidazole, Tinidazole and Macmiror.

The dosage is determined only by the doctor, based on the patient’s condition and age, as well as the presence of contraindications.

Each drug has them, which can lead to quite unpleasant consequences when trying to self-medicate. It is especially dangerous for pregnant women and for.

Even the new complex product Macmiror, which contains antibacterial and antifungal components, has contraindications. This combination is not accidental, because Giardia favors the development of fungal infections.

Diet plays a vital role when Giardia is present in the body.

Even knowing how to treat Giardia, it is impossible to achieve success if the treatment is not accompanied not only by taking a remedy for Giardia, but also by changing the diet.

Eliminate them from the diet, and Giardia will no longer feel so comfortable in the small intestine.

Fermented milk products, as well as sour berries and juices from them, will help create an acidic environment in the intestine, which Giardia absolutely cannot tolerate.

Protein-rich foods will also prevent the proliferation of Giardia, in particular, lean meats and fish, eggs (in limited quantities - 1 piece per day).

In general, when treating giardiasis, it is recommended to include in your diet porridge, soups, fermented milk products, bread with bran, greens, vegetables and fruits containing a lot of dietary fiber, and/or oat bran to improve intestinal motility.

You can allow yourself a little natural honey and marshmallows, but in general, sweets containing other carbohydrates should be excluded.

An important factor in the treatment of Giardia is split meals (5-6 times a day), due to which bile, which is harmful to them, will be more actively produced.

Prevention of giardiasis

Observe the rules of personal hygiene and teach children to do this from a very early age: