Giardia lamblia
From IKE
Giardia lamblia
- Trophozoites are bilaterally symmetrical with a long tail and funny eye, nose area, etc
- Like a cartoon character or an old school professor (and the flagella are moustaches)
- Cysts are smaller and harder to find in stool samples
- They are tiny and cause non-specific symptoms
- Five negative stool samples are needed to rule out giardiosis
- Canadian water supports giardiosis (especially near beaver habitats, which are responsible for "beaver fever")
- More info: Giardia lamblia
