(Disclaimer: This article is for general use only, and the information in the following content has been processed to protect patient privacy)
Abstract: A 58-year-old middle-aged patient came back from a trip one month ago with diarrhea, stools were dilute and watery, with mucus and bad odor, poor appetite, and after self medication did not provide effective relief, he came to the hospital. After active drug treatment, the patient’s diarrhea symptoms improved and his stools returned to normal.
Basic information】Male, 58 years old
Disease Type】Giardia
Hospital】The 988th Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army Joint Security Force
Date of consultation】April 2022
Treatment plan】Medication (metronidazole tablets + tinidazole tablets + albendazole granules)
Treatment period】6 days of inpatient treatment, 1 month of outpatient follow-up
Effectiveness of treatment】Diarrhea symptoms improved, stools returned to normal
I. Initial consultation
The patient, 58 years old, complained of diarrhea for 5 days and seemed to have improved stools after self-medication, but still had symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, and weakness, etc. At the same time, the patient emphasized that the stool smelled very bad. Therefore, the diagnosis was Giardia lamblia.
II. Treatment
Once the diagnosis was confirmed, the patient was immediately admitted to the hospital for active treatment, and was given metronidazole tablets and albendazole pellets for oral treatment. The patient indicated that nausea worsened after the application of metronidazole tablets, and there was a heavy metallic taste in the mouth, but diarrhea symptoms were significantly improved. The patient reported no further significant adverse reactions and the symptoms were quickly controlled.
III. Treatment effect
On the second day of treatment, the patient’s stool decreased from more than 10 times/day to 2-3 times/day, and the abdominal pain improved, the odor of stool disappeared, and the appetite was restored; on the fourth day of treatment, the patient’s stool returned to normal, and the symptoms of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain disappeared, and no Giardia lamblia cysts were found in the routine stool examination. After 6 days of hospitalization, the patient basically recovered and was discharged.
IV. Notes
We are glad that the patient’s condition has effectively improved after treatment, but we still need to advise the patient to pay attention to a light and easily digestible diet, avoid cold and spicy stimulating foods, avoid alcohol, and avoid fatty foods, and pay attention to hand hygiene to prevent diseases from entering by mouth. At the same time, pay attention to maintain an optimistic and cheerful attitude to life, and actively participate in exercise to enhance their physical fitness.
V. Personal insight
Giardia lamblia is a parasite that attaches itself to the small intestine or duodenum of the human body, easily leading to inflammatory reactions in the gastroduodenum, resulting in abdominal pain and diarrhea.
The patient in this article developed the infection after returning from a trip, and all of his fellow travelers had the infection, but fortunately there were no complications and he was able to heal quickly. Therefore, we remind everyone to pay attention to the environment and personal hygiene when traveling, avoid drinking raw water, do not eat uncooked meat, and seek medical attention once you have symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, do not be careless!