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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffGiardia infection is almost never fatal in industrialized countries, but it can cause lingering symptoms and serious complications, especially in infants and children. The most common complications include:
- Dehydration. Often a result of severe diarrhea, dehydration occurs when the body doesn't have enough water to carry out its normal functions.
- Failure to thrive. Chronic diarrhea from giardia infection can lead to malnutrition and harm children's physical and mental development.
- Lactose intolerance. Many people with giardia infection develop lactose intolerance — the inability to properly digest milk sugar. The problem may persist long after the infection has cleared.
References
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Wright SG. Protozoan infections of the gastrointestinal tract. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. 2012;26:323.
- Giardia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/. Accessed July 18, 2012.
- Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=4. Accessed July 18, 2012.
- Leder K, et al. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of giardiasis. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed July 18, 2012.
- McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2012. 51st ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=1. Accessed July 18, 2012.
- Munoz FM. Treatment and prevention of giardiasis. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed July 18, 2012.
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