Treatment

• For symptomatic and supportive treatment, for patients who have severe diarrhoea, they will be given oral rehydration salt for fluid replacement and antipyretic for example paracetamol for those who are having fever.
• Metronidazole (Flagyl) and Tinidazole are the drugs of choice. Metronidazole is given in multiple doses for 5-10 days while tinidazole is given in single dose. Metronidazole eradicates the Giardia for about 85% while tinidazole is highly effective in treating giardiasis (>90%). The side effects are nausea, dizziness and headache.
• Furazolidone is another drug where it is slower in action but it is preferred in children because it has fewer adverse effects compared to metronidazole. Furazolidone (Furoxone) is given for 7-10 days. They are being prescribed by the doctors if only symptomatic cases have been detected.