water-borne parasites?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Two months ago, my son went to a camp where the water coming from the faucet was considered non-potable. Not realizing this, he drank 1 1/2 nalgenes full of it before we noticed. </p>

<p>Since then, every 2 weeks, he’s had a day or two of diarrhea. Other than the diarrhea and some stomach cramping, he feels fine. Today it started again, for the 4th time. Prior to this, he virtually never had any bowel trouble. Between episodes he’s absolutely fine.</p>

<p>I called the camp administration to find out what might have been in the water. They said that the water actually is chlorinated and from a sealed reservoir but because they don’t test it and the pipes are old, they recommend not using it. </p>

<p>Has anyone heard about parasites that would show up every two weeks like this?</p>

<p>Thanks for your input.</p>

2

<p>Giardia, I’d bet. It doesn’t always show up in blood tests. A round of flagyl should take care of it. Worth a try!</p>

3

<p>Yeah. A stool sample (possible multiple samples) tested for ova/parasites and a specific Giardia antigen test should give you some info.</p>

4

<p>I’ll third the Giardia. Can be hard to detect in samples. My doctor just gave me four pills to take all at once. Was cured in a day and a half.</p>

5

<p>Yep, Giardia. D had it years ago, and the cramping/diarrhea would come and go every other week or so.</p>

6

<p>My brother did his Peace Corps stint in Africa and said that the capital city “smelled like Giardia”. Lovely.</p>

7

<p>The giardia cyst is immune to chlorine, so could easily have been in the water. The two week reoccurance may relate to the life cycle of the cyst growing into a parasite, and then the subsequent shedding and diarrhea.</p>

8

<p>Another vote for Giardia. False negatives common. Test and retest; see if the doc will treat w/ flagyl diagnostically. BTW - waters w/ beaver wildlife activity feeding in are esp. rich w/ Giardia.</p>

9

<p>Vote for a Giardia antigen test.
The traditional stool ova and parasite test CAN detect the cysts and trophs but it is a subjective test with less than perfect sensitivity.</p>

<p>The antigen test is much more objective and less prone to false negatives.</p>

10

<p>Yes. O&P would test for other parasites better; it may be part of a parasite panel and in some labs is an automatic along with the Giardia specific antigen.</p>

11

<p>Leptospirosis is another parasite found in water that may have feces from animals (at least that’s what I’ve been told). Seems like the majority of folks have voted for Giardia though & if only 4 pills taken at one time might cure it, it seems to be worth a try, even before bothering to test for it, since he is definitely showing symptoms of SOME parasite.</p>

12

<p>Yes, there’s leptospirosis in many areas. The symptoms are usually more multisystemic (respiratory, neurologic, fever etc) and less gastrointestinal, though.</p>

13

<p>My son had symptoms like this when he was 5 years old. He tested negative for giardia and the Dr suggested it was some kind of emotional problem but when he was treated for giardia the symptoms vanished immediately.</p>