title: Giardiasis: an overview for the clinician.
abstract: Since the clinician confronting a case of giardiasis may find the current literature confusing and weighted towards rare immunoglobulin deficiency syndromes, a classification is proposed to answer questions pertinent to understanding and managing this infection. Current thinking of giardiasis must involve the realization that (1) asymptomatic carriers exist; (2) that the majority of symptomatic patients have no structural disease explaining their symptoms; and (3) that those patients with anatomic lesions and giardiasis probably have an underlying predisposing condition. A short review of the association of giardiasis and immunodeficiency will then be presented, along with current concepts of diagnosis and therapy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000361:Agammaglobulinemia / Q000150:complications; D005872:Giardia / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011796:Quinacrine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D008795:Metronidazole; D011796:Quinacrine