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Giardia lamblia
Giardia lamblia A parasite responsible for a contagious form of diarrhea. The parasite is most commonly transmitted through direct contact with infected feces or by eating food or drinking water contaminated by feces. Giardia is one of the most common intestinal parasites in the world. The disease is most prevalent in developing countries, where infections are associated with poor sanitary conditions, poor water quality control, and overcrowding.Giardiasis affects three times as many children as adults. It particularly affects diapered children and toddlers being toilet-trained. Families with young children who attend day-care centers are at greater risk of developing giardiasis than is the general population.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Parasite
An organism that lives on or in the tissues of another organism and draws its nourishment from the host.
Contagious
Easily transmitted by direct or indirect contact.
Diarrhea
Passage of excessively liquid or excessively frequent stools.
Feces
Stool.
Food
Any substance eaten to provide nutritional support for the body.
Giardia
A genus of protozoa that infect the gastrointestinal tract of some animals, including humans. Giardia have a large sucking disk which permits them to adhere to the intestinal lining. The species that infects humans (and causes diarrhea) is Giardia lamblia.
Disease
Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.
Risk
In clinical trials, the probability of harm or discomfort for subjects, arising from the test product. Acceptable risk differs depending on the condition for which a product is being tested. A product for sore throat, for example, will be expected to have a low incidence of side effects. However, unpleasant side effects may be an acceptable risk when testing a promising treatment for a life-threatening illness.
Giardiasis
A diarrheal illness caused by infection with Giardia lamblia, a parasitic protozoan.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Giardia
A genus of protozoa that infect the gastrointestinal tract of some animals, including humans. Giardia have a large sucking disk which permits them to adhere to the intestinal lining. The species that infects humans (and causes diarrhea) is Giardia lamblia.
Giardiasis
A diarrheal illness caused by infection with Giardia lamblia, a parasitic protozoan.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Giant cell tumor of bone
A tumor of bone characterized by massive destruction of the end (epiphysis) of a long bone. The site most commonly struck by this tumor is the knee -- the far end of the femur and the near end of the tibia. The tumor is often coated by new bony growth. It causes pain, restricts movement, and is usually cancerous. Treatment is by surgery, usually followed by chemotherapy.
Giant cell tumor, malignant
A type of bone tumor characterized by massive destruction of bone near the end (epiphysis) of a long bone. The site most commonly struck by this tumor is the knee -- the far end of the femur and the near end of the tibia. The tumor is often coated by new bony growth. It causes pain and restricts movement. Treatment is by surgery, usually followed by chemotherapy.
Giant hypertrophic gastritis
A premalignant disorder of the stomach characterized by overgrowth of the stomach lining (the gastric mucosa) and hypoalbuminemia (low blood serum level of albumin) due to loss of albumin by the stomach. The abnormalities of the stomach are highly characteristic with giant folds, excess mucus secretion by the lining of the stomach, and hypochlorhydria (decreased acid secretion by the stomach). The disease tends to lead to stomach cancer.
Giant platelet syndrome
This condition is a primary problem of platelets in which the platelets lack the ability to stick adequately to injured blood vessel walls and as a result of this problem there is abnormal bleeding.
Giardia
A genus of protozoa that infect the gastrointestinal tract of some animals, including humans. Giardia have a large sucking disk which permits them to adhere to the intestinal lining. The species that infects humans (and causes diarrhea) is Giardia lamblia.
Giardia lamblia
GIFT
A technique in which the male and female cells required to begin reproduction are injected into the fallopian tubes of the female for fertilization. This technique is one of the methods doctors use to overcome infertility, the inability of couples to produce offspring on their own. The acronym GIFT stands for Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer.
Gigantism
Excessive growth both in height and specific body parts. Gigantism with extreme height may be associated with disorders of pituitary gland, which may oversecrete human growth hormone (somatotrophin) during childhood before the bones fuse. Excessive growth of specific body parts is also a feature of a number of disorders such as the Wiedemann-Beckwith syndrome in which there is macroglossia (an abnormally large tongue).
Gigantism, eunuchoid
Extremely tall stature due to the delayed onset of puberty which permits the continued growth of the long bones before their growing ends (epiphyses) fuse and growth stops.
Gigantism, focal
Excessive growth of specific body parts such as an arm, the tongue, or a combination of specific body parts as is seen in Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome or acromegaly. This type of gigantism may occur before or after the bones fuse. If it occurs afterwards, it causes disfigurement. Surgery for mass reduction can help improve function. Other treatments may be available for specific conditions.
Gigantism, pituitary
Excessive growth and height due to chronic overactivity of the pituitary gland (at the base of the brain). (Growth hormone is specifically made by the anterior pituitary gland.) In pituitary gigantism, there is secretion of too much growth hormone before the end of adolescence. People with pituitary gigantism can truly be giants. They can sometimes end up over 7 or 8 feet in height.
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