Dangers To Sportsman -- GIARDIA

More commonly known as "Beaver Fever" which is the worst case of diarrhea one can experience. You can get it from beavers and the water where they live. In fact, Giardia is endemic to the human species, meaning it lives all around us. It is commonly dealt with in day care centers and other places where diapers are changes and so forth.

Giardia is caused by a parasite, Giardia Lamblia, which enters the body by ingestion. The microorganism is spread by contact, usually after you've been around contaminated water which gets on your hands followed by touching your mouth.

Symptoms include frothy, foul smelling diarrhea, nausea, sever stomach cramps, weight loss and dehydration. Vomiting is not a symptom of Giardia. The symptoms can last from one to four weeks, that is the bad part, the good part is it will not kill you, but at times you might wish it had. But if left untreated and other medical factors are present, it can pose serious threat by making you vulnerable to other more serious conditions.

Giardia is treated with a variety of medications and is relatively easy to control.

So know you know about Giardia (Beaver Fever) I bet you will think twice before you reach down in that cool stream for a quick drink or to refresh your face with a cool splash. 

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