These symptoms may appear a few days to a few weeks after exposure, and may last up to six weeks or recur intermittently over several months. Although other diseases may have similar symptoms, you should suspect giardiasis if you have been drinking untreated water. Giardiasis is often undiagnosed, but may be indicated by ongoing or recurrent bouts of intestinal illness. The disease is generally not life-threatening and, with proper diagnosis and treatment, it is curable with medication. Giardiasis is transmitted through contaminated water or through direct contact under unsanitary conditions.
Giardiasis is known by other names such as a campers' or hikers' disease.
It is caught by people drinking unpurified water. This frequently occurs at day care centers, where the parasite may be passed by toddlers just being toilet trained or during diaper changing. Thorough hand-washing is the best defense against this form of transmittal. Improper waste water treatment or a faulty septic system connection contaminates household water supplies. Giardiasis and other intestinal illnesses may be passed from family member to family member and on to guests through groundwater contamination.