Stomach Problems Due to Chronic Infections

Stomach pain, bloating, belching, gas and diarrhea, lasting for several weeks or months may result from chronic infection by parasites, bacteria or, rarely, viruses or yeasts. There is often no fever in these infections.

Parasites 

Intestinal parasites, like giardia or hookworm, may cause long term loose stools with mucus or blood and abdominal bloating. Pale skin and tiredness  are due to iron-deficiency anemia caused by impaired iron absorption due to intestinal inflammation, and blood loss due to bleeding ulcers, or blood sucked by intestinal worms. Diagnosis is made by finding parasites by stool Ova & Parasites test. Treatment by anti-parasitic medications usually results in full recovery in few days. Infection may recur if it was not completely treated or if source of parasites (pets, food or water poisoning) still exists. 

continue reading Chronic Stomach and Bowel Infections – Symptoms & Treatment

What Are Intestinal Parasites?

Intestinal parasites are either one-cell organisms or intestinal worms that live in the human intestines (small or large) and use the stool or blood from intestinal wall as a source of the food.

1. One-Cell Parasites – Protozoa

One cell organisms like Giardia lamblia, also called Giardia duodenale (Picture 1), cryptosporidium (crypto) and cyclospora utilize nutrients from the stool are part of Protozoa (Greek protos = first, zoa = animals). They may cause inflammation of the small intestine thus reducing its absorption capacity. Entamoeba hystolytica predominantly lives in the colon.

Picture 1. Parasite giardia from a stool sample,
as seen under the electron microscope (actual size:~0.01 mm)
(source: phil.cdc.gov)

continue reading Human Intestinal Parasites – Symptoms and Treatment