Giardiasis is a parasitic invasion that is caused by Giardia. Accompanying the disease allergies, abdominal pain, problems with the chair. In our material we will describe how the treatment is going on and what preventive measures will help to avoid infection with parasites.
The main causes of
The causative agent of lyambioza is a unicellular organism of the Lamblia intestinalis, which settles in the intestine. Moreover, in the human body, these parasites can exist in two forms:
- Vegetative, while they settle in the upper intestine.
- Spore - in the large intestine, from where they "come out" together with feces.
Outside the human or animal parasites of the vegetative form die very quickly, cysts are able to live for about three months in water and about two months while in a humid environment.
Infection occurs by the fecal-oral method, in case of ingestion of parasites with food and water, while using toys of an infected child, hygiene items. Infants can also become infected, it happens during childbirth.
If lamblia was found in a child’s kindergarten or school, in 90% of a hundred the whole family would be infected.
Pathogenesis in children - what causes?
The peculiarity of the life of parasites is their pathogenic effect on the human body. Once inside, Giardia settles in the intestine, feeding on the mucous membrane, which leads to damage to the enterocytes. In addition, damage to the mucous membrane can cause pathogenic microflora.
As noted by physicians, in the study of feces in sick children other various diseases and problems caused by the parasite, including E. coli, are detected, the number of lactic acid bacteria decreases.
Also, the parasite secretes toxic metabolic products, which lead to impaired absorption of fats, proteins, other trace elements and vitamins, which causes a deficiency of multivitamins. In children with giardiasis, malabsorption syndrome often occurs.
Parasites also irritate the nerve endings of the intestinal walls, which leads to the development of abdominal syndrome.
There may also be such problems:
- severe allergic reactions;
- immune deficiency;
- severe intoxication;
- neurotic reactions;
- general malaise.
Classification and symptoms
According to the WHO classification, there is asymptomatic and clinically marked giardiasis. According to the peculiarities of clinical manifestations, it can be:
- Primary infestation (acute), which is most common in children under six years of age.
- Protracted infection (chronic), found in children of school age.
Depending on this, the disease can occur either in the intestinal form, in the form of enteritis, enterocolitis, or in the hepatobiliary form, in the form of cholecystitis.
Almost all children who carry this parasite in themselves have abdominal syndrome, which is characterized by severe pains in the abdomen, near the navel, and they appear regardless of the meal.
There is also dyspeptic syndrome, when the child stops eating, he has belching, heartburn, bitterness is felt. Against this background, the stool may become liquid, very smelly, the child begins to go to the toilet several times more often than usual. Also possible diarrhea or constipation, weight loss.
In some cases, but rarely, children experience an allergic reaction: a slight rash such as urticaria, itchy skin or acne, if we talk about teenagers. Sometimes a symptom of the appearance of parasites is allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma and even angioedema.
Severe fatigue, decrease in attentiveness, working capacity can indicate the presence of lambias in the body - the child becomes irritable, often there are headaches, dizziness, and teeth grit. You should also consult a doctor in case of a sudden increase in the tonsils, when the temperature rises to 38 degrees with no signs of inflammation, flu, etc.
The above symptoms relate to acute giardiasis. The chronic form is not so bright. The main symptoms include:
- peeling and dryness of the skin;
- exacerbation of allergies;
- stool instability;
- possible signs of IRR.
Diagnosis of the appearance of parasites in the body
Since the signs are not so vivid, many children who coexist with Giardia are often treated for other diseases by a pulmonologist, a neurologist, and a dermatologist. Therefore, noticing any of the above symptoms, you should send the child for examination.
The most accessible form is the detection of a parasite in the feces. For a full identification, it is necessary to pass tests three times, which is caused by the fact that cyst removal during emptying does not always occur, which means that the parasite cannot be detected the first time. In some cases, a study of duodenal contents is prescribed using a probe.
Currently, ELISA, or serological diagnostics, is very popular, which allows detection of antibodies to parasite antigens in the blood. Also carried out PCR studies of feces. Some doctors additionally prescribe the following tests:
- Ultrasound;
- dysbacteriosis analysis;
- biochemical (advanced) blood test.
Treatment of giardiasis in children
The main goal of any therapy is 100% parasite eradication and elimination of manifestations. In addition, if Giardia has been detected, it is necessary to treat all other family members and even pets.
Conducting therapy is preceded by training, including diet, proper diet, elimination of cholestasis. To improve the effectiveness of treatment, the diet should be modified:
- Include fruits, bran, dried fruits.
- Reduce the amount of easily digestible carbohydrates.
In addition, much depends on the symptoms that are observed as a result of the appearance of parasites:
- In case of intoxication, enterosorbents should be used.
- Syndrome Maldigesti. Usually, the use of enzymes with pancreatin is prescribed in this case.
To carry out therapy, it is necessary to use protivolyamblioznymi drugs that belong to the group of nitroimidazoles (for example, Naridazol or McMiror) or nitrofurans (Nifurate). To determine the correct treatment regimen, it is necessary to consult a gastroenterologist.
It should be noted that a couple of days after the start of medication may cause allergies, abdominal pain appears, but because of this you can not interrupt treatment.
After completing the medication, you need to re-examine. If the parasite is left in the body, most often it is prescribed a second treatment with several drugs.
Prevention against parasites
Avoiding the disease is always easier than curing it. The same applies to giardiasis. Preventive measures can be divided into the following categories:
At the social level
It is necessary to consume purified water, better filtered. For this purpose, special parasitological control is carried out in kindergartens and schools.
Individual prophylaxis
In this case, all care lies with the parents and the children themselves. You should use clean foods, wash fruits and vegetables before eating, clean public goods, do not forget about personal hygiene. For example, teach your child to constantly wash their hands with soap, especially before eating. This will help avoid infection not only with Giardia, but also with various infections.
If you follow these simple recommendations, you can save your child from dangerous parasites, which can be very difficult to eliminate.
