Fig 4.

Giardia sp. life cycle. Giardia cysts shed in the feces are infectious. Infection occurs after the ingestion of cysts either through the fecal-oral route or through the ingestion of contaminated water or food. Cysts are environmentally resistant and can persist for months in soil or water (50). Excystation occurs within the small intestine. Trophozoites remain either free in the intestinal lumen or attached to villous enterocytes, causing clinical signs. Trophozoites encyst upon movement toward the colon, becoming infectious oocysts, and are shed in the feces.