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| Division of Public Health Services Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers | |
| Bureau of Infectious Disease Control REVISED –January 2018 | |
| GIARDIASIS | |
| Giardiasis is an intestinal illness caused by | |
| Giardia lamblia, a microscopic parasite. The | |
| infectious form of the parasite is passed in the | |
| stool of an infected individual. | |
| Who gets this disease? | |
| Anyone can get Giardiasis. It is very commo n in | |
| childcare centers; especially those that have | |
| children under age three. It spreads easily among | |
| these children to their caretakers and families. | |
| How is it spread? | |
| The most common way a person becomes | |
| infected with giardia in the childcare setting is by | |
| the fecal -oral route. Eating food contaminated | |
| with the parasite may also infect a person. Food | |
| may become contaminated when the person | |
| preparing the food has giardiasis and has some | |
| infected stool on his/her hands because of poor | |
| hand washing habits. | |
| Additionally, a person may become infected by | |
| drinking water that is contaminated with the | |
| parasite. Streams, ponds and springs in New | |
| Hampshire are frequently contaminated with | |
| giardiasis parasites. Water can also be | |
| contaminated with giardia when sewage enters the | |
| drinking water supply. | |
| What are the symptoms? | |
| The most common symptoms of a giardia | |
| infection are diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, | |
| decreased appetite and excess gas. There is | |
| usually no fever or vomiting. The diarrhea may | |
| last up to several months and can cause significant | |
| weight loss. | |
| How soon do the symptoms appear? | |
| The symptoms appear within 5- 25 days or longer. | |
| The average incubation period is 1-3 weeks. | |
| Can a person have this disease without | |
| knowing it? | |
| Yes. Some people may ha ve very mild infections | |
| that are not serious enough to cause them to go to | |
| a doctor. They may not feel sick at all. In some | |
| cases of giardia infection, parasites can be found | |
| in the stool from several days to several months | |
| after the symptoms have stopped. | |
| What is the treatment? | |
| Several drugs are effective in killing the giardia | |
| parasite. Treatment is usually necessary for | |
| persons with diarrhea. | |
| How can the spread of this disease be | |
| prevented? | |
| 1. Wash hands thoroughly after using the | |
| toilet and diapering a child. | |
| 2. Wash hands thoroughly before preparing | |
| food. | |
| 3. Keep children who have diarrhea at home. | |
| 4. Staff with stool positive for giardia should | |
| not prepare food or feed children. | |
| Who should be excluded? | |
| Any person with diarrhea shall be excluded from | |
| food handling, from childcare agencies and from | |
| direct care of hospitalized or institutionalized | |
| patients until 48 hours after resolution of | |
| symptoms | |
| Reportable? | |
| Yes, giardiasis is reportable by New Hampshire | |
| law to the Division of Public Health Services, | |
| Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at (603) | |
| 271-4496. | |