What Is Giardiasis?
3. Risk Factors
Water sources can become contaminated with giardia due to animals’ excrement or run-off from farms. Drinking contaminated water, brushing your teeth with it, or using it to clean fresh produce can lead to giardiasis. Inactive giardia cysts can survive for up to 45 minutes in chlorine treated swimming pools. Therefore, if an infected person has been swimming in a pool and you accidentally swallow some of the water, you could become infected that way. Giardia is sensitive to heat, so cooking food usually kills it, although contaminated raw food could still pose a risk of infection.
Another way that you could become infected with giardiasis is by coming into contact with the feces of an infected animal or person. This occurs when a person fails to wash his or her hands after using the toilet, changing a diaper, or cleaning up after pets. Giardiasis is fairly common in care facilities such as nursing homes and daycare centers. Both the caregivers and recipients may be affected. People who engage in anal sex are also at risk for giardiasis.
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