Third-world parasite strikes London!

No, I'm not talking about me. My sister had been suffering from a persistent tummy-bug for at least a month before my visit, putting off a trip to the doctor with impressive but ill-advised stoicism.

On the day before I arrived she finally admitted defeat and provided a sample for top medical brains to mull over. The diagnosis is now in - 'Giardiasis: an infection of the small intestine caused by a microscopic organism, Giardia lamblia.' The symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, headache, loss of appetite, nausea and other afflictions too horrible to mention here (all of which have been suffered by my sister, brother in law and 2 children). Apparently this highly infectious tropical disease is found mainly in the developing world, so this mini-outbreak in Surrey is something of a mystery.

I have found some useful guidelines to help me avoid infection:

Don't drink untreated water from wells, lakes, rivers, springs, or ponds. If there is an outbreak in your community, don't drink untreated water. Avoid using ice or drinking untreated water when traveling in countries where the water supply may be unsafe. If you have to drink untreated water, treat it yourself by heating the water to a rolling boil for at least one minute.


Knew I shouldn't have had that glass of pond-water.

Giardia: quite cute, really.