Giardiasis: Drug Therapy

Therapeutic targets

  • Rehydration (fluid balance).
  • Elimination of pathogens to prevent – possibly monosymptomatic – malabsorption syndromes (diseases caused by impaired absorption of substrates from the intestine) and avoid environmental diseases.

Therapy recommendations

  • Symptomatic therapy including fluid replacement – oral rehydration for signs of dehydration (fluid deficiency; > 3% weight loss): administration of oral rehydration solutions (ORL), which should be hypotonic, between meals (“tea breaks”) for mild to moderate dehydration.
  • Compensation of electrolyte losses (loss of blood salts).
  • First-line agent: metronidazole (nitroimidazole).
  • Therapy failure due to host factors and resistance in up to 20% of cases! Then a combination therapy (metronidazole + albendazole) should take place.
  • Even in asymptomatic courses, therapy should be carried out to prevent the further spread of infection.
  • See also under “Further therapy”.