Scientific Name: Giardia lamblia or alternately G. intestinalis
Not-So-Fun
Fact: Giardia is a parasite and is responsible for the contagious waterborne
infection known as giardiasis. Giardiasis causes a number of delightfully messy
and painful gastrointestinal problems before being fought off after a few
weeks, though some symptoms may linger long after the initial infection.
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Protista
Phylum:
Sarcomastigophora
Class:
Zoomastigophora
Order:
Diplomonadida
Genus: Giardia
Species: G.
lamblia
Description: Giardia
is a microbial organism spread through contaminated water that severe
gastrointestinal problems such as fatigue and malaise, abdominal cramps and
bloating, frequent and noxious belching, nausea, weight loss, and diarrhea.
Symptoms begin after one to two weeks and usually last from two to four weeks.
Environment:
Giardia is spread in water contaminated by feces laced with the microbe.
Victims usually contract the disease by drinking improperly purified or
completely untreated water or by coming into direct contact with infected
stool. Giardia lingers in the intestines until it is killed off or becomes
dormant.
Reproduction
& Development: The life of the giardia is split into two parts, called the
trophozoite and cyst phases. The cysts are ingested and release freely swimming
trophozoites which adhere to the intestinal lining and then undergo asexual
reproduction by binary fission. It is the cyst that later forms from the
trophozoite after a presently unknown trigger that is spread from host to host.
Nutrition:
Giardia is a parasitic heterotroph, which means it ingests nutrients by feeding
off of its host. The organism steals food from the intestine of its host and
damages the tissue around it, causing the symptoms of the disease.
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