Abstract
A number of aspects of the genus Giardia have been a source of great controversy among parasitologists for decades. Much of the difficulty centers around the taxonomy of this flagellate. This has never been completely resolved; it will be discussed further later in this chapter. Giardia spp. investigations proceeded, at a fairly constant level, until the mid-1960s, when research publications pertaining to this parasite diminished considerably. The work with Giardia was continued, over a period of about a decade, by a small group of dedicated workers, without the benefit of much financial support for their research. One reason for this lack of support has been the belief that this organism is of no public health significance in our society. It was considered, and with considerable justification, to be a rather unusual flagellate of doubtful pathologic significance. Many considered it to be more of an exotic parasite, which on occasion produced a diarrheic syndrome in travelers. The research, of course, did progress, and a considerable amount of significant information was developed in such areas as in vitro cultivation (Meyer, 1976; Fortess and Meyer, 1976) and cellular morphology, using both transmission and scanning electron microscopy (Friend, 1966; Erlandsen, 1974; Erlandsen and Chase, 1974; Sheffield and Bjorvatn, 1977) and immunology, by Roberts-Thomson and his co-workers (1976, 1981), Stevens et al. (1978), Visvesvara and Healy (1980), Visvesvara et al. (1980), and many others.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Ansari, M. A. R., 1952, Contribution à l’étude du genre Giardia Kunstler, 1882 (Mastigophora: Octomitidae), Ann. Parasitol. Hum. Comp. 27:421–479.
Armaghan, V., 1937, Biological studies on the Giardia of rats, Am. J. Hyg. 26:236–258.
Associated Press, 1979, Parasite-ridden beavers pinpointed as source of illness in Pennsylvania, Minneapolis Tribune, Nov. 6, 1979, p. 4B.
Aust Kettis, A., and Magnius, L., 1973, Giardia lamblia infection in a group of students after a visit to Leningrad in March, 1970, Scand. J. Infect. Dis. 5:289–292.
Barbour, A. G., Nichols, C. R., and Fukushima, T., 1976, An outbreak of giardiasis, Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 25:384–389.
Bemrick, W. J., 1962, The host specificity of Giardia from laboratory strains of Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus, J. Parasitol. 68:287–290.
Bemrick, W. J., 1963, Observations on dogs infected with Giardia, J. Parasitol. 49:1031–1032.
Bingham, A. K., and Meyer, E. A., 1979, Giardia excystation can be induced in vitro in acidic solution, Nature (London) 277:301–302.
Boeck, W. C, 1917, Mitosis in Giardia microti, Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 19:85–134.
Brandborg, L. L., Tankersley, L. B., Gottlieb, S., Barancik, S., and Sartor, V. E., 1967, Histological demonstration of mucosal invasion by Giardia lamblia in man, Gastroen-terology 52:143–150.
Brodsky, R. E., Spencer, H. C, Jr., and Schultz, M. G., 1974, Giardiasis in American travelers to the Soviet Union, J. Infect. Dis. 130:319–323.
Chakravarti, A., 1968, Giardiasis and its treatment with particular reference to Flagyl therapy, Indian Pract. 21:808–814.
Conroy, D. A., 1960, Giardia in Christmas pudding, Rev. Iber. Parasitol. 20:567–571.
Craun, G. F., 1979, Waterborne giardiasis in the United States: A review, Am. J. Public Health 69:817–819.
Cripps, A., Denny, P. J., Fisher, S., Green, P., and O’Connor, B. F., 1975, A health and social survey of a group of children from rural New South Wales, Med. J. Aust. 2:214–218.
Cutting, J. W., 1975, A survey of intestinal parasitism in a community of the Pan American highway route in eastern Panama, Bull. Pan. Am. Health Organ. 9:13–18.
Danciger, M., and Lopez, M., 1975, Number of Giardia in the feces of infected children, Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 24:237–242.
Davies, R., 1978, Giardiasis: A problem in Colorado, Wildl. Dis. Assoc. Newsl. (January), p. 3.
Davies, R. B., and Hibler, C. P., 1979, Animal reservoirs and cross-species transmission of Giardia, in: Waterborne Transmission of Giardiasis (W. Jakubowski and J. C. Hoff, eds.), Environmental Protection Agency 600/9-79-001, pp. 104-126.
DeCarneri, I., Trane, F., and Mandelli, V., 1977, Giardia muris: Oral infection with one trophozoite and generation time in mice, Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 71:438.
Dritz, S. K., 1980, Medical aspects of homosexuality, N. Engl.J. Med. 302:463–464.
Dykes, A. C, Juranek, D. D., Lorenz, R. A., Sinclair, S., Jakubowski, W., and Davis, R., 1980, Municipal waterborne giardiasis: An epidemiologic investigation, Ann. Intern. Med. 92:165–170.
Erlandsen, S. L., 1974, Scanning electron microscopy of intestinal giardiasis: Lesions of the microvillous border of villus epithelial cells produced by trophozoites of Giardia, in Scanning Electron Microscopy, 1973 (O. Johari, ed.), pp. 775–782, IIT Research Institute, Chicago.
Erlandsen, S. L., and Chase, D. G., 1974, Morphologic alterations in the microvillous border of villous epithelial cells produced by intestinal microorganisms, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 27:1277–1286.
Fantham, H. B., and Porter, A., 1916, The pathogenicity of Giardia (Lamblia) intestinalis to men and to experimental animals, Biol. Med. J. 2:139–141.
Felman, Y. M., and Nikitas, M. A., 1979, Sexually transmitted enteric pathogens in New York City, N.Y. State J. Med. 79:1412–1413.
Filice, F. P., 1952, Studies on the cytology and life history of a Giardia from the laboratory rat, Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 57:53–143.
Fortess, E., and Meyer, E. A., 1976, Isolation and axenic cultivation of Giardia trophozoites from the guinea pig, J. Parasitol. 62:689.
Friend, D. S., 1966, The fine structure of Giardia muris, J. Cell Biol. 29:317–332.
Frost, F., Plan, B., and Liechty, B., 1980, Giardia prevalence in commercially trapped animals, J. Environ. Health 42:245–249.
Geddes, A. M., 1973, Giardiasis in England, Br. Med. J. 4:236.
Grant, D. R., and Woo, P. T. K., 1978a, Comparative studies of Giardia spp. in small animals in southern Ontario. I. Prevalence and identity of the parasites with a taxonomic discussion of the genus, Can. J. Zool. 56:1348–1359.
Grant, D. R., and Woo, P. T. K., 1978b, Comparative studies on Giardia spp. in small mammals in southern Ontario. II. Host specificity and infectivity of stored cysts, Can. J. Zool. 56:1360–1366.
Grant, D. R., and Woo, P. T. K., 1979, Comparative studies on Giardia spp. in small mammals in southern Ontario. III. Duration and cyst production in natural and experimental infections, Can.J. Zool. 57:307–313.
Haiba, M. H., 1956, Further study on the susceptibility of murines to human giardiasis, Z. Parasitenkd. 17:339–345.
Harinasuta, C., Sornamani, S., Migasena, P., Vivatanasesth, P., Pongpaew, P., Intarakao, L., and Vudhivai, N., 1976, Socioeconomic, health and nutritional status of the villagers in the Hong Wai irrigation area, Khou Kaen, northeast Thailand, Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health 7:601–621.
Hegner, R. W., 1922, A comparative study of the giardias living in man, rabbit, and dog, Am. J. Hyg. 2:442–454.
Hegner, R. W., 1926, The biology of host-parasite relationships among protozoa living in man, Q. Rev. Biol 1:393–418.
Hewlett, E. L., Andrews, J. S., Jr., Ruffier, J., and Schaefer, F. W., III, 1982, Experimental infection of mongrel dogs with Giardia lamblia cysts and cultured trophozoites, J. Infect. Dis. 145:89–93.
Jokipii, L., and Jokipii, A. M. M., 1974, Giardiasis in travelers: A prospective study, J. Infect. Dis. 130:295–299.
Karapetyan, A. E., 1960, A method of cultivation of Lamblia, Tsitologiya 2:379–384.
Kean, B. H., William D. C, and Luminais, S. K., 1979, Epidemic of amoebiasis and giardiasis in a biased population, Br. J. Verier. Dis. 55:375–378.
Keifer, A., Roberto, R. R., Powers, L., Gaston, J., Sherwood, R. W., Johnston, L., Blair, J., Early, B., Hopkins, R. S., Scott, E., Smede, R., Osterud, H., Slifman, N., Shilke, J., Hills, L., Goodins, J. A., Burkhart, T. J., Jenkins, M. T., Witte, E. J., McCarthy, M., de Melfî, T., Erb, J., and Lippy, E. C, 1980, Waterborne giardiasis in California, Colorado, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Morbid. Mortal. Weekly Rep. 29:127–123.
Kirner, J. C, Littler, J. D., and Angelo, L. A., 1978, A waterborne outbreak of giardiasis in Camas, Washington, J. Am. Water Works Assoc. 70:35–40.
Klima, M., Gyorkey, M. A., Min, K., and Gyorkey, F., 1977, Electron microscopy in the diagnosis of giardiasis, Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 101:133–135.
Knight, R., 1980, Epidemiology and transmission of giardiasis, Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 74:433–436.
Kulda, J., and Nohynkova, E., 1978, Flagellates of the human intestine and of intestines of other species, in: Protozoa of Veterinary and Medical Interest (J.P. Kreier, ed.), 2:1–138, Academic Press, New York.
Lavier, G., 1924, Deux especes de Giardia du rat d’egout Parisien (Epimys norvegicus), Ann. Parasitol. Hum. Comp. 11:161–168.
Lippy, E. C, 1978, Tracing a giardiasis outbreak at Berlin, New Hampshire, J. Am. Water Works Assoc. 70:512–520.
Mastrandrea, G., and Micarelli, A., 1968, Search for parasites in vegetables from the local markets in the city of Rome, Arch. Ital. Sci. Med. Trop. Parassitol. 49:55–59.
Meyer, E. A., 1976, Giardia lamblia: Isolation and axenic cultivation, Exp. Parasitol. 39:101–105.
Meyer, E. A., and Jarroll, E. L., 1980, Giardiasis, Am. J. Epidemiol 111:1–12.
Meyers, J. D., Kuharic, H. A., and Holmes, K. K., 1977, Giardia lamblia infection in homosexual men, Br. J. Vener. Dis. 53:54–55.
Morecki, R., and Parker, J. G., 1967, Ultrastructural studies of the human Giardia lamblia and subjacent jejunal mucosa in a subject with steatorrhea, Gastroenterology 52:151–164.
Most, H., 1968, Manhattan: A “tropic isle”?, Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 17:333–354.
Naiman, H. L., Sekla, L., and Albritton, W. L., 1980, Giardiasis and other intestinal parasitic infections in a Manitoba residential school for the mentally retarded Can. Med. Assoc. J. 122:185–188.
Nalin, D. R., Rhead, J., Rennels, M., O’Donnell, S., Levine, M. M., Bergquist, E., Hughes, T., and Hormick, R. B., 1978, Cannabis, hypochlorhydria and cholera, Lancet 2:859–862.
Nemanic, P., Owen, R. L., Stevens, D. P., and Mueller, J. S., 1979, Ultrastructural observations on giardiasis in a murine model. II. Endosymbiosis and organelle distribution in Giardia muris and comparison with Giardia lamblia, J. Infect. Dis. 110:222–228.
Nieschulz, O., 1924, Über den Bau von Giardia caprae Mihi, Arch. Protistenkd. 49:278–286.
Osterholm, M. T., Forfang, J. C, Ristenen, T. L., Dean, A. G., Washburn, J. W., Godes, J. R., Rude, R. A., and McCullough, J. G., 1981, An outbreak of foodborne giardiasis, N. Engl. J. Med. 304:24–28.
Padchenko, J. K., and Stolyarchuk, N. G., 1970, Dogs as a spontaneous carrier of Lamblia and probable source and vector lambliosis in nature, Vestn. Zool. 4:56–61.
Rendtorff, R. C, 1954, The experimental transmission of human intestinal parasites. II: Giardia lamblia cysts given in capsules, Am. J. Hyg. 59:209–220.
Rendtorff, R. C, 1975, Giardia in water, Ann. Intern. Med. 82:280–281.
Ridley, M. J., and Ridley, D. S., 1976, Serum antibodies and jejunal histology in giardiasis associated with malabsorption, J. Clin. Pathol. 29:30–34.
Roberts-Thomson, I. C, and Anders, R. F., 1981, Serum antibodies in adults with giardiasis, Gastroenterology 80:1262.
Roberts-Thomson, I. C, Stevens, D. P., Mahmoud, A. A. F., and Warren, K. S., 1976, Giardiasis in the mouse: An animal model, Gastroenterology 71:57–61.
Saha, T. K., and Ghosh, T. K., 1977, Invasion of the small intestinal mucosa by Giardia lamblia in man, Gastroenterology 72:402–405.
Sebesteny, A., 1974, The transmission of intestinal flagellates in mice, Lab. Anim. 3:71–77.
Sehgal, A. K., Grewal, M. S., Chakravarti, R. N., Broor, S. L., Deka, N. C, and Chhuttani, P. N., 1976, Experimental giardiasis in albino rats, Indian J. Med. Res. 64:1015–1018.
Shaw, P. K., Brodsky, R. E., Lyman, D. O., Wood, B. T., Hibler, C. P., Healy, G. R., MacLeod, K. I. E., Stahy, W., and Schultz, M. G., 1977, A community-wide outbreak of giardiasis with evidence of transmission by a municipal water supply, Ann. Intern. Med. 87:426–432.
Sheffield, H. G., and Bjorvatn, B., 1977, Ultrastructure of the cyst of Giardia lamblia, Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 26:23–30.
Shelton, G. C., 1954, Giardiasis in the chinchilla. I. Observations on morphology, location in the intestinal tract and host specificity, Am. J. Vet. Res. 15:71–74.
Simon, C. E., 1922, A critique of the supposed rodent origin of human giardiasis, Am. J. Hyg. 1:406–434.
Smith, P. D., Gillin, F. D., Brown, W. R., and Nash, T. E., 1981, IgG antibody to Giardia lamblia detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Gastroenterology 80:1476–1480.
Stevens, D. P., Frank, D. M., and Mahmoud, A. A. F., 1978, Thymus dependency of host resistance to Giardia muris infection: Studies in nude mice, J. Immunol. 120:680–682.
Veazie, L., 1969, Epidemic giardiasis, N. Engl. J. Med. 281:853.
Visvesvara, G. S., and Healy, G. R., 1980, The possible use of an indirect immunoflu-orescent test using axenically grown Giardia lamblia antigens in diagnosing giardiasis, in: Waterborne Transmission of Giardiasis (W. Jakubowski and J. C. Hoff, eds.), Environmental Protection Agency, 600/9-79-001, pp. 53-63.
Visvesvara, G. S., Smith, P. D., Healy, G. R., and Brown, W. R., 1980, An immunofluo-rescence test to detect serum antibodies to Giardia lamblia, Ann. Intern. Med. 93:802–805.
Walzer, P. D., Wolfe, M. S., and Schultz, M. G., 1971, Giardiasis in travelers, J. Infect. Dis. 124:235–237.
Wenrich, D. H., 1940, Observations on parasites and inclusion bodies in certain intestinal protozoa, Science 92:416–417.
Zisman, M., 1977, Blood group A and giardiasis, Lancet 2:1285.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bemrick, W.J. (1984). Some Perspectives on the Transmission of Giardiasis. In: Erlandsen, S.L., Meyer, E.A. (eds) Giardia and Giardiasis. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0594-9_22
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0594-9_22
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0596-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0594-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive