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Questions and Answers
What is the function of encystation specific vesicles (ESV) in the parasite?
What is the function of encystation specific vesicles (ESV) in the parasite?
How many nuclei does the cyst form of the parasite typically contain?
How many nuclei does the cyst form of the parasite typically contain?
What is a unique feature of the cyst form of the parasite?
What is a unique feature of the cyst form of the parasite?
What is the role of parabasal bodies in the parasite?
What is the role of parabasal bodies in the parasite?
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Which feature gives the cyst form of the parasite its 'old man's face/old man with eyeglasses appearance' resemblance?
Which feature gives the cyst form of the parasite its 'old man's face/old man with eyeglasses appearance' resemblance?
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What initiates the process of encystation in the parasite?
What initiates the process of encystation in the parasite?
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What is the most common cause of intestinal infection worldwide according to Bailey's?
What is the most common cause of intestinal infection worldwide according to Bailey's?
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Where is the habitat of Giardia lamblia in the human body?
Where is the habitat of Giardia lamblia in the human body?
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How is the trophozoite of Giardia lamblia typically shaped when viewed from the front?
How is the trophozoite of Giardia lamblia typically shaped when viewed from the front?
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What feature distinguishes Giardia lamblia as bilaterally symmetrical among protozoan parasites?
What feature distinguishes Giardia lamblia as bilaterally symmetrical among protozoan parasites?
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How does Giardia lamblia attach to the intestinal epithelium?
How does Giardia lamblia attach to the intestinal epithelium?
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Who were Giardia lamblia named after?
Who were Giardia lamblia named after?
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Study Notes
Giardia Lamblia Structure
- Has a pair of median bodies and a pair of parabasal bodies connected to basal bodies
- Possesses one pair of nuclei, each with a large karyosome within the sucking disk
- Has a characteristic "old man's face" or "old man with eyeglasses" appearance
- Exhibits "falling leaf-like" motility
Cyst Stage
- Ovoid in shape
- Contains two to four nuclei, remnants of axonemes, basal bodies, and parabasal bodies
- Is the infective and diagnostic form of the parasite
- Encystation specific vesicles (ESV) appear in the cytoplasm to process and transport cyst wall protein antigens
Epidemiology
- Most common cause of intestinal infection worldwide
- Most common protozoan pathogen, with a worldwide distribution
- Leading cause of diarrhea in patients with immunodeficiency syndromes
Habitat and Characteristics
- Found in the duodenum and upper part of the jejunum
- Trophozoite is pear-shaped (or tear drop or tennis racket shaped) in front view and spoon/sickle shaped in lateral view
- Bilaterally symmetrical, the only protozoan with this characteristic
- Remains in the lumen of the human small intestine and does not invade tissue
History and Clinical Significance
- First observed by A.V. Leeuwenhoek in 1681
- Named after Dr. F. Lambl of Prague and Prof. A. Giard of Paris in 1859
- Causative agent of Giardiasis, Traveller's diarrhea, and Gay Bowel Syndrome
- Tightly adheres to intestinal epithelium by means of the sucking disc
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Description
Test your knowledge on the characteristic morphological features of Giardia lamblia, including pair of median bodies, old man's face appearance, and falling leaf-like motility. Identify the key structures and characteristics of this parasite.
