Causes, Risk Factors, And Complications Of Giardiasis

Hiking And Camping

Hiking and camping could bring patients into contact with untreated water from lakes and streams, increasing the risk of this condition. In addition to lakes and streams, the risk of parasite ingestion from contaminated water is particularly high when getting water from ponds, rivers, cisterns, and wells. To minimize their risk, patients going hiking or camping for a day trip or for a short period may wish to carry a sufficient supply of bottled water with them. Individuals who are going to spend an extended period in the outdoors should use a water filter or disinfectant to purify untreated water and make it safe to drink. Chlorine dioxide is a particularly effective disinfectant for removing the parasite that causes giardiasis, and one-micron filters labeled as cyst reduction or cyst removal filters (NSF standard 53 or 58) are also effective. Using both filtration and disinfection together can provide added protection against parasites. If these methods are not available, boiling the water at a rolling boil for at least one minute also has a high rate of effectiveness in killing the parasite associated with this condition.

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