Symptoms of Giardia: Introduction 

The  symptoms of Giardia  infection can vary in intensity form person to person. Many people may have no symptoms at all.

Giardia infection can result in the symptom of diarrhea that lasts ten days or more. Diarrhea may be explosive and very foul smelling. There may also be abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, bloating, gas, and weight loss. 

Complications  of Giardia infection include severe dehydration due  to the loss  of fluids and electrolytes from diarrhea and vomiting. If untreated, severe dehydration can lead  to an electrolyte imbalance and shock, and can even be fatal. 

Giardia infection has also been associated with irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, some skin disorders, and reactive arthritis. 

Although Giardia infection can occur in any age group or population, the people  most at risk for serious complications  include older adults, pregnant women, infants, and people who have compromised immune systems. This group includes people with diseases that affect the normal functioning of the immune system, such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cancer, and kidney disease. People  who take medications that affect the immune system, such as chemotherapy, are also at risk.... 

Symptoms of Giardia 

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Giardia includes the 25 symptoms listed below: 

• Mild digestive symptoms - in mild cases 
• Digestive symptoms 
• Acute diarrhea
• Inflammation of digestive tract 
• Fever  
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain 
• Abdominal bloating 
• Pale stools 
• Foul-smelling stools 
• Fatty stools 
• Loss of appetite 
• Flatulence
• Abdominal discomfort 
• Abdominal cramping 
• Watery diarrhea 
• Foul-smelling stool 
• Chronic diarrhea 
• Malabsorption
• Weight loss 
• Epigastric cramping 
• Anorexia  
• Vomiting
• Growth retardation  in children with chronic cases
• Asymptomatic