Who is at risk for contracting giardiasis?
Those at risk include: • persons working in child daycare centers and children attending daycare centers; • international travelers (traveler’s diarrhea); • hikers, campers, or any other persons who may drink from untreated water supplies; and • persons with weakened immune systems including those with HIV/AIDS infection, organ transplant recipients, or those individuals undergoing chemotherapy. How to prevent giardiasis • Wash hands with hot, soapy water before handling foods and eating, and after using the toilet, diapering young children, and handling animals. • Make sure infected individuals wash their hands frequently to reduce the spread of infection. • Drink water only from treated municipal water supplies. • When hiking, camping, or traveling to countries where the water supply may be unsafe to drink, either avoid drinking the water or boil it for 1 minute to kill the parasite. Drinking bottled beverages or hot coffee and tea are safe alternatives. • Do not swallow water while
