If you are concerned about your health, the importance of drinking water that is not contaminated cannot be over emphasized.

One common water contaminate is Giardia, also known as GIARDIA LAMBLIA, Giardiasis (GEE-are-DYE-uh-sis), Giardia intestinalis, and Lamblia intestinalis.
Giardia is an interesting looking critter that attaches itself to the lining of your intestinal wall. All MiraculeWater drinking water processors have 3 filters designed to remove the Giardia bug from the finished product.

Giardiasis is the most frequent cause of non-bacterial diarrhea in North America and in most other places around the World.

What is Giardiasis?
GIARDIA LAMBLIA, Giardiasis (GEE-are-DYE-uh-sis), Giardia intestinalis, Lamblia intestinalis (as it is sometimes referred to in Europe) are all terms that refer to the same Flagellated Protozoan/protozoa, a single celled parasite just a little bigger than most bacteria in size. Some people refer to Giardia as a bacteria and others as a cyst, but it is actually a parasite. It is found in every region throughout the world and has become recognized as one of the most common causes of waterborne illness.
Giardiasis:
A diarrheal illness of the small intestine caused by infection of the flagellated protozoan GIARDIA LAMBLIA. It is spread via contaminated water and food and by direct person-to-person contact. The parasite is passed in the stool of an infected person or animal. The parasite is protected by an outer shell that allows it to survive outside the body and in the external environment for long periods of time. During the past 2 decades, Giardia has become recognized as one of the most common causes of waterborne disease (drinking and recreational waters) in humans in every region of the United States and many other areas of the world. Organisms that appear identical to those that cause human illness have been isolated from domestic animals (dogs and cats) and wild animals (beavers and bears). A related but morphologically distinct organism infects rodents, although rodents may be infected with human isolates in the laboratory. About 40% of those who are diagnosed with Giardiasis demonstrate disaccharide intolerance during detectable infection and up to 6 months after the infection can no longer be detected. Lactose (i.e., milk sugar) intolerance is most frequently observed. Some individuals (less than 4%) remain symptomatic more than 2 weeks; chronic infections lead to a malabsorption syndrome and severe weight loss. Chronic cases of Giardiasis in immunodeficient and normal individuals are frequently refractile to drug treatment. Flagyl is normally quite effective in terminating infections. In some immune deficient individuals, giardiasis may contribute to a shortening of the life span.
Nature of GIARDIA and Giardia infections:
Why might one person develop a Giardia infection while another does not even though both were exposed?
Chances are that the person who does not develop an infection has a stronger immune system and is in better health due to a better diet and life style like drinking MiraculeWater daily.
Infectious Dose?
Ingestion of one or more parasite may cause disease, as contrasted to most bacterial illnesses where hundreds to thousands of organisms must be consumed to produce illness.
Normally the illness lasts for?
One to 6 weeks, but there are cases of chronic infections lasting months to years. Chronic cases, both those with defined immune deficiencies and those without, are difficult to treat.
What are the symptoms of giardiasis?
Symptoms include diarrhea, loose or watery stool, stomach cramps, and upset stomach. These symptoms may lead to weight loss and dehydration. Some people have no symptoms.
How long after infection does it take for symptoms to appear?
Symptoms generally begin 1-2 weeks after being infected.
How often and who is at risk?
Giardiasis occurs throughout the population, although the prevalence is higher in children than adults, possibly because many individuals seem to have a lasting immunity after infection. Chronic symptomatic giardiasis is more common in adults than children. This organism is implicated in 25% of the cases of gastrointestinal disease and may be present asymptomatically. The overall incidence of infection in the United States is estimated at 2% of the population. This disease afflicts many homosexual men, both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals. This is presumed to be due to sexual transmission but may also be due to weakened immune systems. The disease is common in child day care centers, especially those in which diapering is done.
How does Giardia work to produce illness?
The disease mechanism is unknown, with some investigators reporting that the organism produces a toxin while others are unable to confirm that this toxin exists. The organism has been demonstrated inside host cells in the duodenum, but most investigators think this is such an infrequent occurrence that it is not responsible for disease symptoms. Mechanical obstruction of the absorptive surface of the intestine has been proposed as a possible pathogenic mechanism, as has a synergistic relationship with some of the intestinal flora.
Diagnosis of Human Illness:
Giardia lamblia is frequently diagnosed by visualizing the organism, either the trophozoite (active reproducing form) or the cyst (the resting stage that is resistant to adverse environmental conditions) in stained preparations or unstained wet mounts with the aid of a microscope. A commercial fluorescent antibody kit is available to stain the organism. Organisms may be concentrated by sedimentation or flotation; however, these procedures reduce the number of recognizable organisms in the sample. An enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) that detects excretory secretory products of the organism is also available. So far, the increased sensitivity of indirect serological detection has not been consistently demonstrated.
My water comes from a well; should I have my well water tested?
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, consider having your well water tested or installing filtration equipment.
Are other members of your family or users of your well water ill?
If yes, your well may be the source of infection.
Is your well located at the bottom of a hill or is it considered shallow?
If so, runoff from rain or flood water may be draining directly into your well causing contamination. [Shallow wells are often defined as wells less than 300 feet or 100 meters deep.
Is your well in a rural area where animals graze?
Well water can become fecally contaminated if animal waste seepage contaminates the ground water. This can occur if your well has cracked casings, is poorly constructed, or is too shallow.
Is your well in a populated area where there might be septic tanks or sewer systems near by?
Well water can become fecally contaminated if human waste seepage contaminates the ground water. This can occur if your well has cracked casings, is poorly constructed, or is too shallow.

Tests specifically for Giardia are expensive, difficult, and usually require hundreds of gallons of water to be pumped through a filter. If you answered yes to the above questions, consider testing your well for fecal coliforms or E. coli instead of Giardia. Although fecal coliforms or E. coli tests do not specifically test for Giardia, such testing will show if your well has fecal contamination.

These tests are only useful if your well is not routinely disinfected with chlorine since chlorine kills fecal coliforms and E. coli. If the tests are positive, the water may also be contaminated with Giardia, as well as other harmful bacteria and viruses. Look in your local telephone directory for a laboratory or cooperative extension that offers water testing. If the fecal coliform test comes back positive, indicating that your well is fecally contaminated, contact the sales department of MiraculeWater for evaluation and recommendations for water processing equipment.
Where does the Giardia parasite live?
Giardia lives in the intestine of infected humans or animals. Millions of germs can be released in a bowel movement from an infected human or animal. You can become infected after accidentally swallowing the parasite. Giardia may be found in soil, food, water, or surfaces that have been contaminated with the feces from infected humans or animals.
Giardia is not spread by contact with blood. Giardia can be spread:
By swallowing water contaminated with Giardia. Water in municipal water supplies, swimming pools, hot tubs, Jacuzzis, fountains, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, or streams that can be contaminated with sewage or feces from humans or animals. Water that is recirculated back into the water supply lines after leaving a municipal treatment plants often contains Giardia.
By putting something in your mouth or accidentally swallowing something that has come in contact with the stool of a person or animal infected with Giardia.
By eating uncooked food contaminated with Giardia. Thoroughly wash with uncontaminated water all vegetables and fruits you plan to eat raw.
By accidentally swallowing Giardia picked up from surfaces (such as toys, bathroom fixtures, changing tables, diaper pails) contaminated with stool from an infected person.
Who is at risk?
Everyone. Persons at increased risk for giardiasis include child care workers; children who attend day care centers, including diaper-aged children; international travelers; hikers; campers, swimmers; and others who drink or accidentally swallow water from contaminated sources that is untreated (no heat inactivation, filtration, or chemical disinfection). Several community-wide outbreaks of giardiasis have been linked to drinking municipal water or recreational water contaminated with Giardia.
You have been diagnosed with a Giardia infection. Should You worry about spreading infection to others?
Yes, Giardia can be very contagious. Follow these guidelines to avoid spreading Giardia to others.
Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet, changing diapers, and before eating or preparing food.
Avoid swimming in recreational water (pools, hot tubs, lakes or rivers, the ocean, etc.) if you have Giardia and for at least 2 weeks after diarrhea stops. You can pass Giardia in your stool and contaminate water for several weeks after your symptoms have ended. This has resulted in outbreaks of Giardia among recreational water users.
Avoid fecal exposure during sex.
What might a person do if they think they have giardiasis?
As with most any illness bed rest and plenty of fluids are normally directed by health care providers. Your particular health care provider may recommend Flagyl which is normally quite effective in terminating infections, or some other pharmaceutical drug. Normally healthy people usually recover with or without treatment of a health care provider.

If your child is diagnosed as having Giardiasis, but does not have any diarrhea, and your health care provider says treatment is not necessary. Is this true?
In general, the answer by the American Academy of Pediatrics is that treatment is not necessary. However, there are a few exceptions. If your child does not have diarrhea, but is having nausea, or is fatigued, losing weight, or has a poor appetite, you and your health care provider may wish to consider treatment. If your child attends a day care center where an outbreak is continuing to occur despite efforts to control it, screening and treatment of children without obvious symptoms may be a good idea. The same is true if several family members are ill, or if a family member is pregnant and therefore not able to take the most effective anti-Giardia medications.

How is a Giardia infection diagnosed?
Health care providers will likely ask you to submit stool samples to see if you have the parasite. Because Giardia can be difficult to diagnose, he or she may ask you to submit several stool specimens over several days.
How can You prevent Giardia infection?
Above all avoid water that might be contaminated.
MiraculeWater processors have three filters designed to remove Giardia from the water. Two of these filters are certified at removing more than 99% of parasites, cysts and bacteria. With all three filters in line, it is close to impossible for Girdia to get past them.
Avoid swallowing recreational water.
Avoid drinking untreated water from shallow wells, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, and streams.
Avoid drinking untreated water during community-wide outbreaks of disease caused by contaminated drinking water.
Avoid using ice or drinking untreated water when traveling in countries where the water supply might be unsafe.
If you are unable to avoid drinking or using water that might be contaminated, then treat the water yourself by heating the water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute.
OR
Using a water filter that has an absolute pore size of less than 1 micron or one that is NSF rated for "cyst removal."
If the methods above cannot be used, then try chemical inactivation of Giardia by chlorination or iodination. Chemical disinfection may be less effective than other methods because it is highly dependent on the temperature, pH, and cloudiness of the water.
Practice good hygiene.
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
a. Wash hands after using the toilet and before handling or eating food (especially for persons with diarrhea).
b. Wash hands after every diaper change, especially if you work with diaper-aged children, even if you are wearing gloves.
Protect others by not swimming if experiencing diarrhea (essential for children in diapers).
Avoid food that might be contaminated.
Wash and/or peel all raw vegetables and fruits before eating.
Use uncontaminated water to wash all food that is to be eaten raw.
Avoid eating uncooked foods when traveling in countries with minimal water treatment and sanitation systems.
Avoid fecal exposure during sex.
Growth in the Lab:
Giardia can be excysted, cultured and encysted in vitro; new isolates have bacterial, fungal, and viral symbionts. Classically the disease was diagnosed by demonstration of the organism in stained fecal smears. Cool moist conditions favor the survival of the organism.
Strains of Giardia:
Several strains of G. lamblia have been isolated and described through analysis of their proteins and DNA; type of strain, however, is not consistently associated with disease severity. Different individuals show various degrees of symptoms when infected with the same strain, and the symptoms of an individual may vary during the course of the disease.
Associated Foods:
Giardiasis is most frequently associated with the consumption of contaminated water. Outbreaks have been traced to food contamination by infected or infested food handlers, and the possibility of infections from contaminated vegetables that are eaten raw cannot be excluded.
Food Analysis:
Food is analyzed by thorough surface cleaning of the suspected food and sedimentation of the organisms from the cleaning water. Feeding to specific pathogen-free animals has been used to detect the organism in large outbreaks associated with municipal water systems. The precise sensitivity of these methods has not been determined, so that negative results are questionable. Seven days may be required to detect an experimental infection.
[FDA Legal requirement notice] This fact sheet is for information only and is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider. If you have any questions about the disease described above or think that you may have a parasitic infection, consult a health care provider.