One who tries to protect himself from parasitic diseases, should know how lamblias are passed from person to person. The simplest single-celled microorganisms parasitize in the small intestine. They cause a disease called lambliasis. It can not be called dangerous, but carriers of infection slowly and faithfully destroy the body of each of us, preventing the full functioning of individual internal organs. That is why the question of how lamblia is transmitted continues to be relevant.
As already mentioned above, giardias are the simplest microorganisms that settle in the small intestine and feed on partially digested food( chyme).Those that are transmitted from person to person are represented in two forms: trophozoites and cysts. Trophozoites - mobile vegetative lamblia - have the form of a pear, two cores and four pairs of flagella. To the intestinal mucosa, trophozoites are attached by means of a suction disk. It damages the integrity of a thin protective layer, lamblias themselves are dangerous because during their parasitization they do not allow the intestine to fully absorb useful trace elements and vitamins. The food is poorly digested and stagnant in the small intestine, rotting, so one who is infected with protozoa often suffers from intestinal dysbiosis.
Trophozoites - mobile microorganisms - are able to descend into the large intestine. There they are covered with a thick shell and degenerate into cysts. Cysts are the source of transmission of Giardiasis. How are cysts transmitted from person to person?
Ways to transfer lamblia
Specialists, talking about how lamblia are transmitted, pay attention to a fairly simple scheme of infection. They can not be infected by saliva with a kiss, the sources of infection are tap water, dirty hands and food. Dangerous for each of us are the cysts of Giardia. They leave the intestine naturally along with feces. In it, they can live for two weeks. In water, the life expectancy of cysts increases to two months. The list of ways to transfer lamblia can include swimming in ponds with standing water, as well as close communication with pets living in the house. Cats and dogs can bring cysts with their wool. Failure to observe basic rules of personal hygiene is the main way of transferring giardias. At risk are small children from two to five years old, adults who neglect the rules of sanitary hygiene.
From person to person, cysts are transmitted by contact and household methods. The patient releases cysts daily along with feces. The number of them can be huge. For comparison, in one gram of feces of a baby infected with giardiasis, up to 250,000 cysts are present, in the same volume of feces of an adult patient the number of cysts reaches one million. Doctors pay attention to the fact that in 95% of patients the allocation of this amount of cysts occurs on an irregular basis, the remaining 5% this process is carried out on a regular basis. Therefore, if one person falls ill with a lambliosis, he is the source of infection for all other family members.
Transmission routes are obvious: the simplest pathogenic microorganisms are transmitted through dishes, furniture, any other objects with which all the others are intimately connected. That is why in the kindergartens, in any other preschool and school institutions, the transmission of infection is massive. Children are accustomed to touch all the objects around them, taste them, transfer them from hand to hand, gnaw their nails. The contact path of transmission of pathogenic microorganisms prevails in this case. Adults, however, should not be afraid of kissing. Cysts are not found in the saliva. However, the oral mechanism for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms can be dangerous for people of non-traditional sexual orientation, and for those who practice bold, candid sexual anal caresses.
Consequences of infection with Giardiasis
Giardia carriers and the disease itself are not dangerous for human life, but giardiasis can cause some harm to human health. Which one:
- The most common complication of such an infection is gastritis and duodenitis. Inflammation of the intestine causes a general weakening of the immune system and opens the gate for the penetration of other more dangerous infections.
- Against the background of acute giardiasis, the appearance of symptoms of general intoxication of the body is often observed.
- If you do not start treatment in time, the acute phase can change into a chronic form. It significantly worsens the quality of life of the patient, the children become irritable, poorly absorb the educational material, adults often complain of loss of appetite, weight loss, general weakness, which affects the performance.
As you can see, giardiasis can not be classified as fatal diseases, pathologies that can lead to disability, but it also undermines health, doing it gradually. Giardii, striking the intestine, destroy its cells, a similar process hampers the absorption of important trace elements, undermining vital forces. That is why it is so important to know who is the carrier of the infection, how lamblia is transmitted. Can I prevent the transmission of Giardiasis?
Knowing how lamblia is transmitted, you can try to prevent the spread of infection. How can I do that? The main thing is to take care that the pathogen does not get inside the body. For this, it is important to observe the following precautions:
- Before eating raw vegetables and fruits, they should be washed with boiled water.
- If a baby is growing in a house, it is useful to start teaching him personal hygiene as soon as possible.
- It is important to eradicate the bad habits of babies at the root, one should not allow them to chew their nails, suck pencils or their fingers.
- Pets are allowed only if all family members strictly observe the hygiene rules. Kissing with animals under strict prohibition.
- You should not eat on the street, on the go, grabbing food with dirty hands.
- Do not drink unboiled tap water.
- It is better to refuse bathing in ponds with standing water.
- If you are not sure about the cleanliness of the sandbox, do not let your kids play it.
- Given the fact that lamblia is transmitted to the child, if pathogens are found in one of the family members or in the team, it is important to diagnose and treat everyone around them.
Knowledge of the main modes of transmission of Giardiasis helps prevent the spread of infection. That's why it's so important to arm them with each of us.