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Giardia
Giardia is a parasite (living thing) found in the guts of people and animals such as cattle, sheep, cats and dogs. It is also found in infected water such as lakes and streams. You can get giardia (or giardiasis) if you swallow contaminated water. Giardia can cause vomiting and diarrhoea (gastroenteritis).
Symptoms of giardia
Symptoms usually start 7 to 10 days after being infected. They usually last between 3 and 4 days.
The symptoms include:
- diarrhoea
- stomach pain or cramp
- feeling sick and throwing up (vomiting)
- a slight fever.
Many people do not get any symptoms.
Diagnosing giardia
Giardia is diagnosed from a poo (faeces) sample.
If the tests find the giardia infection, your healthcare provider will report this to the local public health team.
The role of public health
Giardia is a notifiable disease in some cases. This means that healthcare providers or laboratories inform public health when someone has it. This way, we can monitor how many people are sick and give advice on how to reduce its spread.
Treating giardia
Giardia is treated by a course of antibiotics. You should also rest and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. See the self care section on the gastroenteritis page for more details.
Getting help with giardia
You should see your healthcare provider if:
- you have bloody diarrhoea
- you have a fever
- your symptoms have not gone away after 7 days.
You should also see your healthcare provider if you are very unwell or if you have a weakened immune system.
You should take your tamaiti (child) to your healthcare provider if they:
- are not drinking
- are passing less wee (urine) than usual
- have a dry mouth or sunken eyes
- seem drowsy.
Avoiding spreading giardia
To reduce the risk of spreading the infection, it is important to have good hand hygiene. This includes washing your hands with soap and water, especially after using the toilet.
Keep your hands clean — healthy habits
Try to avoid preparing food if you have giardia. If you do prepare food, make sure you wash and dry your hands well first. Follow food safety advice.
Preparing and storing food safely at home — New Zealand Food Safetyexternal link
Stay away from work, community gatherings and school or preschool until you or your tamaiti (child) have been free of symptoms for 48 hours. This includes the last time you had diarrhoea.
You should wait for at least 2 weeks after the last episode of diarrhoea before you go swimming in a pool.