A Common Reason For Travel Clinic Visits: Beaver Fever or Giardia Infection

May 15, 2011

A Common Reason For Travel Clinic Visits: Beaver Fever or Giardia Infection

Filed under: MEDICINE — angekk @ 6:37 am

Remaining healthy on long journeys can be very difficult. Hidden in lush foliage there are viruses borne by insect, and emerging from a hotel’s faucet is bacteria that can lay you up for weeks. One of most common illnesses that traveler’s come down with while on vacation is called giardia. To help you once infected by this debilitating sickness-or to help you remain illness free while overseas-contact a travel clinic.
What is Giardia & How is it Spread?
Giardia is a microscopic parasite that is common in both animals (including cats and dogs) and humans. Giardia causes giardiasis, which is sometimes referred to as Beaver Fever. It is a diarrheal disease and is common overseas and in the United States.
Once the parasite is ingested it lives in the intestines and is passed to the next person (or animal) through feces. When outside the body the disease can last for months, making it difficult to eradicate. It is easily passed on from one host to another.
By visiting a travel clinic you can learn all the ways in which giardia is spread. These include:
• Ingesting under cooked food that contains the organism
• Touching things like bathroom door handles
• A visit to a farm or anywhere animals reside
• Swallowing drinking water or using ice cubes made from infected water
• Swallowing miniscule amounts of infected lake water or pool water.
• Social contact with someone who is infected
• Traveling to countries where giardia is common. These countries/geographical areas include Mexico, Central America, South America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere on the globe including all of Europe and North America. It would seem the spindly hand of giardia infection creeps across the entire world.
Symptoms typically begin one to three weeks after infection occurs and can last for longer than six weeks. Receiving treatment from a certified travel clinic can shorten this cycle. It is time to visit a travel clinic if you begin suffering from any of the following symptoms:
• Diarrhea
• Stomach and/or abdominal cramps
• Nausea
• Dehydration
• Excessive gas
• Greasy-type stool that tends to float
A stool sample is typically collected for analysis. There are several very effective prescription drugs that can be used for giardia treatment. The fact is that tons of people who travel acquire this parasite. Diarrhea is awful when it lasts a day or two-six weeks or more is downright torturous.
If preparing a journey overseas, it is highly recommended that you visit a travel clinic. Depending on where you are traveling to vaccinations may be required for entry. This is certainly true of the yellow fever vaccination. Many countries will only grant entry with a certificate proving a recent yellow fever inoculation.
For those residing in the New York City area requiring a travel clinic, there is a certified facility located just two blocks from Grand Central Station. Simply log on to NYC travel clinic or call             1-212-696-5900      . Whether preparing for a trip or in need of a prescription for a post-trip poop party-you will certainly find the help you need at Travel vaccinations NYC.

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Salmonella infection symptoms-diarrhea painful Abdominal Cramps and

Symptoms of salmonella infection usually have diarrhea and abdominal pain and cramps salmonella infection is a form of food poisoning and symptoms of these and others tend to develop, within 12 to 72 hours after a person eats or drinks something contaminated with the bacteria salmonella illness can be 4 to 7 days, last. A Salmonellosis is used to describe infections caused by Salmonella bacteria.

Salmonella infection symptoms and causes

Salmonellosis caused symptoms known as general food poisoning, which may include:

Abdominal Cramps and pain diarrhea nausea vomiting fever Chills pain of muscles.

Symptoms will range in intensity from a simple system that is uncomfortable to severe or life-threatening dehydration if the vomiting and diarrhea are constant.

Infection occurs after eating food or drinking beverages that contain bacteria of the genus Salmonella bacteria found in foods from animal sources but can be any contaminated food if food preparation conditions and equipment was contaminated with bacteria.

Aggregations of common infections: raw meats (especially Turkey or chicken), raw eggs, or cracked or raw milk (unpasteurized) not refrigerate foods promptly hand this might help bacteria cultivation. Cooking at high temperatures can kill bacteria.

Reptiles have of a pet, such as salmonella and turtle. Iguana snake or lizard can put people at higher risk.

Salmonella infection Diagnostics and treatment

Initial diagnosis is based on the symptoms mentioned in the previous version. Now if the symptoms are evaluated by a physician is encouraged especially if diarrhea vomiting remain or increase. Assessment may include the examination or blood and stool analysis to detect the presence of the bacteria salmonella local health department may need to be alert to help identify the source (e.g., restaurants, supermarket, etc.).

The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover fully without treatment. However, in some cases. Diarrhea or vomiting, so severe that hospitalization is necessary.

Treatment that is often highlighted to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance by encouraging (fluid intake for infants and children Pedialyte. Adults may use drink sports) Antidiarrheal. Drugs are typically not defined because it may prolong the infection.

BRAT diet: which stands for banana bread, rice, applesauce, and may reduce the symptoms of diarrhea, because these are binding foods that make warm Compresses may be firmer keys simple abdominal pain.

Giardia infection - National Library of Medicine

Giardiasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by a tiny parasite called Giardia lamblia.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The parasite lives in soil, food, and water. It may also be found on surfaces that have come into contact with animal or human waste.

You may become infected if you:

• 
  

  Are exposed to a family member with giardiasis

  
  


• 
  

  Drink water from lakes or streams where animals such as beavers and muskrats, or domestic animals such as sheep, have left their waste

  
  


• 
  

  Eat raw or undercooked food that has been contaminated

  
  


• 
  

  Have direct person-to-person contact in day care centers, long-term care homes, or nursing homes

  
  


• 
  

  Have unprotected anal sex

  
  

Travelers are at risk for giardiasis throughout the world. Campers and hikers are at risk if they drink untreated water from streams and lakes.

Symptoms

The time between infection and symptoms is 7 – 14 days.

Some people with Giardia have no symptoms.

Diarrhea is the main symptom. Other symptoms include:

Some people who have had Giardia infections for a long time continue having symptoms even after the infection is gone.

Signs and tests

Tests that may be done include:

Treatment

If there are no symptoms or mild symptoms, no treatment may be needed. Some infections go away on their own within a few weeks.

Medicines may be used for:

Most people respond to treatment. A change in antibiotic therapy will be tried if symptoms do not go away. Side effects from some of the medications used to treat this condition include:

In most pregnant women, treatment should wait until after delivery. Some drugs used to treat the infection can be harmful to the unborn baby.

Complications

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if:

Prevention

Purify all stream, pond, river, lake, or well water before drinking it. Use methods such as boiling, filtration, or iodine treatment.

Workers in day care centers or institutions should use good handwashing and hygiene techniques when going from child to child or patient to patient.

Safer sexual practices may decrease the risk of contracting or spreading giardiasis. People practicing anal sex should be especially careful.

Peel or wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating them.

References

1. DuPont HL. Approach to the patient with suspected enteric infection. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsever; 2011:chap 291.


2. Semrad CE. Approach to the patient with diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsever; 2011:chap 142.


3. Giannella RA. Infectious enteritis and proctocolitis and bacterial food poisoning. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger & Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010: chap 107.

Review Date: 5/30/2012.

Reviewed by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington; and Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.

Giardia Infection | Giardia in Dogs

Definition of Giardia

Giardiasis, sometimes called “beaver fever,” is the disease caused by infection with tiny parasites that live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of most mammals, including dogs and humans. These parasites are called giardia. They also infect birds. Giardia are found world-wide. Dogs become infected by ingesting contaminated water, food or feces. While infection with giardia is common, disease is not. Some dogs never show signs of discomfort, while others show mild to moderate signs of abdominal pain. Young puppies and dogs with weak immune systems can have severe reactions to the parasites, including appetite loss, diarrhea, weight loss, tiredness, dehydration, weakness, bloody or pale-colored, greasy, strong-smelling stools and sometimes death. Giardia pose a risk to immune-compromised people, including the elderly, newborns, pregnant women and people with cancer, AIDS or other serious diseases. Regular veterinary check-ups, including fecal examinations, can usually identify giardia infections. These examinations are especially important at the end of summer, after the hot season.

Causes and Prevention of Giardia Infection in Dogs

Giardia are found world-wide. They have what is known as a direct life cycle. Dogs become infected when they ingest the cyst (interchangeably called the “oocyst”) form of this parasite by drinking contaminated water, eating contaminated food, licking contaminated fur or otherwise coming into contact with contaminated feces in the environment. The cysts lodge in the upper part of the dog’s small intestine, called the duodenum. There, each cyst produces several motile larvae, known as

Read More ›

Symptoms and Signs of Giardia Infection in Dogs

Many dogs infected with Giardia have a latent or subclinical infection, which means that they really don’t show any noticeable symptoms of illness. However, the parasites eventually damage the lining of the intestines of the animals that they infect, disrupting digestion and using up nutrients that the animals need for normal health. The effects of Giardia are most pronounced in young dogs, old dogs and those with impaired immune systems. The profuse diarrhea that frequently

Read More ›

Diagnosing Giardia Infection in Dogs

The disease caused by infection with Giardia is not difficult for veterinarians to diagnose. Examination of a dog’s feces can reveal the trophozoite and/or cyst forms of the organism. Giardia can also be identified through more advanced, specialized tests. Most veterinarians evaluating a dog with diarrhea, abdominal pain and other signs of gastrointestinal upset will take a blood sample and perform a complete blood count and a serum biochemistry panel. They will also probably take

Read More ›

Treatment and Prognosis of Giardia Infection in Dogs

Giardia is treatable, usually on an outpatient basis. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of treatment is evaluated based on the presence or absence of cysts in the affected dog’s feces, which does not necessarily equate with whether the parasites are present inside of the dog. A dog can remain internally infected, without shedding the cyst form of the organism at the time the fecal sample is taken. In addition, infection can recur after the parasite is initially

Read More ›

Related Topics

Giardia Infection

Reader’s Question on Giardia Infection

On the post-adoption medical examination, my son who was adopted from Russia had something called Giardia in the school. Why did he get this disease and how serious is it?

Giardia is an intestinal parasite that uses the human being as the primary host for infection. Giardia organisms also infect dogs, cats and beavers as well as other animals. These animals contaminate water with feces that contain cysts and it is these cysts that are infectious to other humans.

Persons usually become infected either directly via hand to mouth transmission of cysts from the feces of infected persons, or indirectly by drinking contaminated food or water.

Children that lived in orphanages especially the ones that are not toilet trained or are mentally retarded are more prone to these infections because of stool handling when changing soiled diapers. Closed quarters, poor living conditions, poor hygiene and infection control measures amongst the caregivers are the main causes of widespread mini epidemics within child care environments. Many times staff and family members in close contact with these children also become infected.

This disease is communicable for as long as the person excretes the cysts, which can go on for many months. The incubation period is generally about 1  to 4 weeks.

Clinical manifestations of this disease are generally localized to the intestinal system. These children tend to elicit  many or all of the following symptoms:

1. acute watery diarrhea with abdominal pain


2. foul smelling stools with flatulence (gas and bloating)


3. abdominal distention and anorexia

Sometimes with more protracted disease, malabsorption of nutrients and anorexia ensue thus causing significant weight loss, failure to thrive and anemia in untreated individuals.

Testing for this organism is very easy to perform and it is routine testing for all internationally adopted children from any country. The actual trophozites (parasitic organisms) or cyst can be identified by a direct microscopic smear examination of the stool and by testing for the giardia antigen with a test called the Giardia EIA enzyme immunoassay. The Giardia EIA is more sensitive than the direct microscopic examination. A single stool specimen microscopic examination can detect 50% – 75% of the infections; these numbers can be increased to approximately 95% when testing 3 different stool specimens.

Treatment of this intestinal parasite is with a drug called Metronidazole and Furazolidone.

Metronidazole is 90% effective in eradicating the parasite but it not available in a liquid preparation.. It can however be compounded by special pharmacies but this usually takes time and therefore delays treatment for a couple of days.Some of my patients had luck with a pharmacy called RX-express, they compound medications on site.  Furazolidone is 80% effective, but it is the only drug in the USA that comes in a liquid preparation. If therapy fails a repeated course of therapy is indicated with any of these drugs.

While children that come from an international adoption are at higher risk for a multitude of diseases, intestinal giardia infections can be easily treated. Once eradicated, these children should thrive, gain weight and any nutritional deficiencies that may have occurred because of the malnutrition syndrome should resolve.

George Rogu M.D.  of Adoptiondocotrs.com

For Pre-adoption Medical Evaluations and Post-Adoption General care on Long Island New York, Visit us at our International Adoption Private Medical Clinic.

* Note: The information and advice provided is intended to be general information, NOT as advice on how to deal with a particular child’s situation and or problem. If your child has a specific problem you need to ask your pediatrician about it — only after a careful history and physical exam can a medical diagnosis and/or treatment plan be made.
This website does not constitute a physician patient relationship.