{"id":3821,"date":"2019-02-07T05:42:51","date_gmt":"2019-02-07T05:42:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3821"},"modified":"2021-03-26T13:45:26","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T13:45:26","slug":"15-causes-of-giardia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-causes-of-giardia\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Causes of Giardia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Giardia is an intestinal infection that affects less than 200,000 people each year in the United States. The intestinal infection is easily spread and is mainly in areas where cleanliness is poor and water is unsafe to drink. When giardia is present, a person will have diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, and bloating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a treatable disease that takes between a few days to a few weeks to be completed cleared of it. It is the most known waterborne disease in the United States. It is known to be found in lakes and streams, but can also be in swimming pools, city water supplies, and wells. When the infection is transmitted from person to person contact it is through food, drink, and unprotected sex. There are eight causes of giardia that people need to be aware of so that they are more knowledgeable about the disease and take preventative measures so that they are not exposed in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Not Washing Hands<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

is a cause for getting giardia<\/a>. When people are in public or private bathrooms, they should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and hot water and dry them off with a clean cloth. Most people are in such a hurry they forget to wash their hands because they have to be somewhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they would wash their hands it would save everyone from getting the infection. When people do not wash their hands and touch another person or food, they are getting germs on the item or person that they touched. The cycle keeps on going and going until everyone starts getting sick and develop giardia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even in fast-food restaurants, people can be exposed to giardia, if the cook isn\u2019t practicing cleanliness. If the cook or server has giardia and is still handling food, it can be spread to many people. Even scratching one\u2019s head and not washing the hands afterward can cause giardia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Eating Bad Food <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

is a reason why people get giardia because people mishandle food. They don\u2019t wear gloves or a hairnet. When they serve food to customers, the customers end up getting sick. Food handlers may be hesitant to wash their hands after they leave the restroom or wipe their noses because they are on a time schedule and have to be fast to wait on customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people eat a lot of raw vegetables and fruit and don\u2019t wash them off properly. Raw vegetables and fruit are irrigated and cleaned with bad water. In order to avoid getting giardia, it is a good idea to wash raw vegetables and fruit with bottled water. If at all possible, cook all vegetables because when food is cooked it gets rid of any necessary parasites <\/a>left on food. It\u2019s important to cook food all the way. Half done food can still have parasites that can enter the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Unprotected Sex <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

can cause giardia because sexual partners are exposed without a condom<\/a>. The most common way to get giardia is having oral and anal sex without a condom. Sexual partners can get other sexually transmitted diseases as well by not protecting themselves. The risk increases for giardia when having unprotected sex in a public facility like a bathroom. A public bathroom is loaded with germs from other people who may or may not have been clean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person may have sat on the same toilet and had giardia or another STD and when someone else sits on that toilet that exposes others to that same disease. The same thing applies to a person who just used the restroom and didn\u2019t wash their hands because they are in a hurry to have unprotected sex with their partner. Giardia can spread even more if a person has multiple sex partners and having unprotected sex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Drinking Bad Water<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

is one of the main causes of getting giardia because it is filled with different chemicals that will make a person sick. Bad water is filled with parasites and if a person drinks it, they can get giardia. When washing off fruits and vegetables, it\u2019s better to use bottled water. It is a good policy to cook with bottled water as well if a person believes their water is bad. Swallowing bad water can happen anywhere. Lakes, streams, city and county water, and public swimming pools are loaded with parasites that can cause an intestinal infection<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even drinking water in a water fountain could be bad because there\u2019s no guarantee the water is filtered. Plus, multiple people drink for that same water fountain daily. Some people don\u2019t have access to bottled water and have no choice, but to drink bad water. They are at a high risk of getting giardia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Swimming Pools <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

at public facilities are breeding grounds for parasites like giardia. At swimming pools, people sometimes decide to get in without cleansing their bodies and expose others to germs. Even the bathrooms at the swimming pool can carry diseases like giardia because people don\u2019t practice good hygiene<\/a>, such as washing their hands using the toilet. They\u2019ll just get in the pool and start touching people, which will cause them to get giardia. When swimming, people are known to swallow the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The water is already contaminated and causes giardia. If a person has giardia, it is best to avoid swimming pools until the intestinal infection clears. Giardia can keep spreading if a person keeps going to the pool. Since it can spread easily, a person could possibly infect a number of people while swimming. Even swimming pools at home can be dangerous for contracting giardia if the proper care isn\u2019t taken, such as cleaning the pool often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Sharing Food and Water <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

is a common cause of getting giardia. People enjoy sharing food and water because it\u2019s convenient, but it can cause people to contract giardia easily. Sometimes without knowing people who share food may forget and wipe their noses with their hands and end up putting their hands back in the same dish that another person is using. When that person puts their hands in the dish, it could cause them to start to get sick<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to water and other drinks, by putting your mouth on the same bottle or glass as the other person can cause intestinal infection, especially when the person has a cold. It can make the infection even worse. It\u2019s even worse when multiple people share food, especially at a party where multiple people have to put their hands in the bowl to get a snack or dip their glass in a punch bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Children <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

who wear diapers to daycare can cause other children and adults to get giardia because of their feces. Adults have to put their hands onto diapers in order to clean the child. If the child has already been exposed to giardia, the adult is at a higher risk of getting the disease. A child that is toilet training at a daycare facility can get giardia because feces is present the majority of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other children who are around the giardia-infected child may get the intestinal disease when they lie next to him or her, especially if children share sleeping quarters. Children who have diarrhea and go into swimming pools can give the disease <\/a>to other people. Some children are not taught about personal hygiene and can sneeze and cough on other children without knowing they gave someone giardia. In fact, giardia is more common in children than in adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Animals <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

can cause adults and children to get giardia because of their saliva. Dogs and cats enjoy kissing on their owners and it only takes one click from the animal to give giardia to the owner. Animals tend to pick up dead animals and find other things when outside that could be loaded with parasites. As soon as they touch their owner, it can get inside of the owner and make them start vomiting <\/a>for instance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pet owner may not even wash his or her hands immediately and may scratch their heads or put their hands in their mouths. By doing this, the parasite is allowed to enter the body. Some animals don\u2019t experience symptoms until much later. Some pet owners like to share their food with their pets, such as allowing the dog to eat out of their plates. If a pet is already infected with giardia, by allowing the dog to eat out of the plate, the pet owner is becoming infected as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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