TREATMENTS &
RESEARCH

Search the
latest
treatment
information
here.

Dr. Huntley's
Diagnosis
Checklist

Have a symptom?
See what questions
a doctor would ask.

Next Prev

Diseases » Giardia » Glossary

Glossary for Giardia

Abdominal pain: A condition which is characterized by the sensation of pain that is located in the abdomen
Abdominal swelling: Swelling or bloating of the abdomen
Acute diarrhoea: A sudden onset of diarrhoea
Amebiasis: An intestinal infection caused by a parasitic amebic organism. It is usually associated with poor sanitation.
Celiac Disease: Digestive intolerance to gluten in the diet.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Severe chronic fatigue disorder often following infection.
Common Variable Immunodeficiency: An immunodeficiency disorder involving low blood gamma globulin levels which results in an increased susceptibility to infections. The condition may be inherited or can be caused by certain drugs (levamisole, hydantoin and carbamazepine).
Crohn's disease: Crohn's disease causes inflammation of the digestive system. It is one of a group of diseases called inflammatory bowel disease. The disease can affect any area from the mouth to the anus. It often affects the lower part of the small intestine called the ileum.
Cryptosporiosis: Contagious parasitic digestive infection
Diabetic Diarrhea: Diarrhea that occurs in diabetics as a result of the damage done by diabetes to the digestive system. Digestive system damage is caused by intestinal neuropathy (damage to intestinal nerves) or bacterial overgrowth or both.
Digestive Diseases: Diseases that affect the digestive system
Digestive symptoms: Any symptoms affecting the digestive tract.
Diseases contagious from contaminated water: Diseases that can be contracted from contaminated water
Fever: Elevation of the body temperature above the normal 37 degrees celsius
Food poisoning: Poisoning from a substance or microbe in food.
Gastroenteritis: Acute stomach or intestine inflammation
Infectious Diarrhea: Infectious digestive infections causing diarrhea.
Irritable bowel syndrome: Spasms in the colon wall
Isosporiasis: Infection with a type of protozoan parasite (Isoporo belli). Infections tend to occur in tropical countries and AIDS patients are the most susceptible. Healthy individuals tend to recover within weeks whereas the disease persists for months or years in immunocompromised patients and may ultimately result in death. Incubation period is about one week.
Lactose Intolerance: Lactose intolerance is the inability to metabolize lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products, because the required enzyme lactase is absent in the intestinal system or its availability is lowered.
Laxative abuse: When a person uses laxatives to excess
Malabsorption: Failure to digest nutrients properly
Malabsorption syndrome: is an alteration in the ability of the intestine to absorb nutrients adequately into the bloodstream
Microsporidiosis: An infectious disease caused by a certain group of protozoa which form spores (microsporidia) e.g. Encephalitozoon, Enterocytozoon, Nosema, Pleistophora, Trachipleistophora, Vittaforma, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Enterocytozoan )Septata) intestinalis). The protozoa invade and live inside the hosts cells. The release spores into the gastrointestinal tract where they are excreted and can infect other animals. The infection is often asymptomatic in healthy people but can cause serious symptoms affecting various parts of the body in immunocompromised people.
Nausea: The queasy feeling of nausea and often also vomiting.
Protozoan Conditions: Any condition caused by the infection of the human being by a protozoan organism
Reiter’s syndrome: A form of reactive arthritis characterized by arthritis, urethritis, conjunctivitis and skin lesions.
Selective IgA Deficiency: Immune deficiency from lacking immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies.
Stomach Conditions: Any condition that affects a persons stomach
Sudden Digestive Conditions: Various forms of sudden acute digestive upset.
Traveler's diarrhea: Various diarrheal conditions often caught on international travel.
Viral gastroenteritis: Virus causing gastroenteritis of digestive tract.
Whipworm: Any nematode of the genus trichuris
Zoonotic Diseases: When a condition is transmitted through a zoonotic organisms