The history of giardiasis

Steverding, Dietmar (2025) The history of giardiasis. Parasitology Research, 124. ISSN 0932-0113

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Abstract

This review paper outlines the history of giardiasis caused by Giardia duodenalis. Discovered in 1681, G. duodenalis is probably the first protozoan parasite ever observed by a human. Despite the early discovery, the taxonomic status of the protozoan remained uncertain for a long time. The reason for this is that G. duodenalis is a species complex comprising several phylogenetically distinct genotypes termed assemblages. Initially, it was thought that G. duodenalis is a primitive eukaryote because it lacks many subcellular organelles. However, recent research has shown that the protozoan has diverged from higher eukaryotes and that the lack of subcellular organelles is due to secondary loss and reduction. Based on paleoparasitological findings, G. duodenalis has parasitised humans since antiquity and has probably been spread globally by human migratory activity. Interestingly, it was not until 1987 that the pathogenicity of G. duodenalis was demonstrated for humans. Giardiasis is still a public health problem in the 21st century, particularly in young children living in areas with low hygiene standards.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Data availability: The author declares that data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	giardia duodenalis,g. intestinalis,g. lamblia,giardiasis,history,sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Metabolic Health Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Gastroenterology and Gut Biology
Related URLs:	http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?...
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	22 Dec 2025 14:30
Last Modified:	22 Dec 2025 14:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101478
DOI:	10.1007/s00436-025-08607-9

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