Giardiasis

Prevention

There is no vaccine that can prevent giardiasis. Medicine to prevent infection is not recommended. The best way to prevent infection is good travel habits and good sanitation.

Travelers should take special care to avoid food and water that could be contaminated. It is safest to eat produce that has been peeled or cooked. Cooking kills Giardia parasites and cysts.

To prevent giardiasis caused by contaminated water, drink water only from approved sources. When camping and when traveling to developing countries, drink bottled water or other beverages that have been bottled or canned. Campers can drink bottled water, treat water with iodine for eight or more hours, use a high-quality water filter or boil water for at least one minute. Travelers to developing countries should avoid drinking beverages that are served with ice.

It is always a good habit to wash your hands frequently. This can reduce your risk of Giardia infection at home and while traveling. It is especially important to wash your hands after you use the bathroom, before you eat, after you change a diaper and after you care for a sick person or animal.

Treatment

If you don’t receive treatment for a Giardia infection, you will probably eventually recover on your own. However, treatment is a good idea for anyone who is having symptoms. Treatment can also help if you don’t have symptoms because treatment can prevent the spread of infection to others. This is especially true for children and for people who prepare or serve food.

Several oral medications can be used to treat Giardia infection, including metronidazole (Flagyl) , tinidazole (Tindamax), quinacrine hydrochloride (Mepacrine), albendazole (Albenza), furazolidone (Furoxone), nitazoxanide (Alinia) and bacitracin. A doctor should examine and consider treatment for sexual partners and people who have had close contact with the infected person, such as household members, even if they have no symptoms. Pregnant women generally are not treated with medications, particularly in the first trimester.

If you have giardiasis, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Over-the-counter medications for diarrhea, such as loperamide (Imodium), may help your symptoms. Wash your hands frequently if you have giardiasis or if you are caring for a person or animal with this infection.