Giardia is more commonly known as "Beaver Fever" -- which is the worst case of diarrhea one
can experience. You can get it from beavers and the water where they live. In
fact, Giardia is
endemic to the human species, meaning it lives all around us. It is
commonly dealt with in day care centers and other places where diapers
are changed and so forth.
Giardia is caused by a parasite, Giardia
Lamblia, which enters the body by ingestion. The microorganism is spread
by contact, usually after you've been around contaminated water which
gets on your hands followed by touching your mouth.
Symptoms include frothy, foul smelling
diarrhea, nausea, sever stomach cramps, weight loss and dehydration.
Vomiting is not a symptom of Giardia. The symptoms can last from one to
four weeks, that is the bad part, the good part is it will not kill you,
but at times you might wish it had. But if left untreated and other medical factors
are present, it can pose serious threat by making you vulnerable to
other more serious conditions.
Giardia is treated with a variety of
medications and is relatively easy to control.
So know you know about Giardia (Beaver Fever) I
bet you will think twice before you reach down in that cool stream for a
quick drink or to refresh your face with a cool splash.
