Approximately 7.15 million waterborne illnesses occur in the United States each year. The Giardia intestinal parasite is the most common of its kind found in humans in the United States. Found worldwide, this waterborne parasite causes diarrheal infections called giardiasis. In 2018, there were 15,579 cases of giardiasis in the United States, of which nearly 97 percent were confirmed.
Giardia can enter a person’s gastrointestinal (GI) system through water, soil, or feces. It is an enteroparasite, meaning it grows in the small intestine of humans and other vertebrates, such as beavers and birds. A Giardia infection, giardiasis, can wreak havoc on the human digestive system, causing diarrhea, malabsorption, and possible long-term effects….