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Giardia duodenalis

Giardia  duodenalis

Giardia duodenalis

Taxonomy

  • Kingdom Protozoa
  • Phylum Metamonada
  • Class Trepomonadea
  • Order Giardiida
  • Family Giardiidae
  • Genus Giardia

Final host

  • Mammals

    Morphology

  • Trophozoites have a pyriform, bilaterally symmetrical body (≈ 12-15 x 5-9 µm)
  • The dorsal side is convex and there is a large sucking disc on the ventral side
  • There are two anterior nuclei, two slender axostyles, four pairs of flagella and a pair of median bodies
  • Cysts are ovoid (≈ 8-12 x 7-10 µm) and contain four nuclei

    Cycle

  • Direct (faecal-oral route)

    Location

  • Small intestine

    Feeding

  • Holozoic (phagocytosis, pinocytosis)

    Diagnostic

  • Cyst and trophozoyte

    Transmission

  • Cyst