giardia

Thân thiện

A scientist examines a giardia sample under a microscope.

Definition

Noun: 1. A genus of microscopic, single-celled parasites: Specifically, Giardia is a genus of flagellated protozoans that can infect the intestines of humans and other animals. 2. A suspected or confirmed cause of disease: In common usage, "giardia" often refers to the parasite itself as a cause of giardiasis, an intestinal infection characterized by symptoms like diarrhea, cramps, and nausea.

Usage Examples

• Noun (referring to the parasite):
  • The hiker contracted giardia from drinking untreated stream water.
  • Giardia is one of the most common waterborne parasites worldwide.
  • A stool test confirmed the presence of giardia.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific/Medical Context: The term is often used in its full taxonomic name, (also known as or ), to specify the species that infects humans.
  • The study focused on the life cycle of Giardia lamblia.

Variants and Related Words

• Giardiasis (n): The medical term for the disease caused by infection with Giardia parasites.
  • The primary symptom of giardiasis is prolonged diarrhea.

Synonyms

• Parasite
• Protozoan
• Intestinal pathogen

Related Phrases

• Giardia infection: A phrase commonly used to describe the state of being infected.
  • She was treated for a Giardia infection.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a suspected cause of diarrhea in humans