Colonisation and infection affects the intestine and occurs through ingestion of cysts from contaminated food or water. The cysts are expelled in faeces and can remain in the environment for extended periods of time.
Infections are mostly asymptomatic. High-risk settings include areas with poor sanitary conditions, in young children, immunocompromised individuals and travel associated cases.
The incubation period for G.lamblia is around 7-14 days. Transmission is by the faecal-oral route from contaminated water or food sources. Person to person transmission may occur with poor hygiene conditions.
Symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, headaches, and weight loss. Chronic infection may result in malabsorption. Symptoms usually resolve within 2 to 6 weeks; occasionally symptoms will return after several days or weeks. In some cases, infected individuals may develop long-term complications such as reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome.
Loose/liquid human faecal sample.
The test for Giardia Lamblia offered by Enfer Medical is carried out by real-time multiplexed PCR, as part of an extended gastrointestinal panel. The test is CE-IVD certified.
| Bacteria | Viruses | Parasites |
| Campylobacter | Adenovirus F40/41 | Cryptosporidium |
| Clostridium difficile toxin A/B | Astrovirus | Cyclospora cayetanensis |
| Plesiomonas shigelloides | Rotavirus A | Entamoeba histolytica |
| Salmonella | Novovirus GI/GII | Giardia lamblia |
| Vibrio | Sapovirus (Genogroups I, II, IV and V) | |
| Yersinia enterocolitica | ||
| Escherichia coli/Shigella |
For clients using the Enfer Medical Client Portal, the Enfer Medical Patient Request Form (PRF) will be generated when you have completed your “Test Request” within the portal linked below.
Please note that samples suspected of containing high risk pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis should be clearly identified on the form and packed separately from other samples.
Results are available next working day.
This assay is available seven days a week.
The packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory are required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. HSE guidance can be reviewed HERE.
There are specific packaging instructions and labelling requirements requiring triple packaging including:
Further information on the packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory is contained within the Enfer Medical Laboratory User Manual which clients are provided with.
Samples must be tested within 4 hours of collection if stored at room temperature. Samples must be tested within 4 days of collection if stored at 2-8°C.
In addition to the packaging of samples, the transport/delivery of clinical samples to the laboratory is required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. Enfer Medical provides a fully compliant logistics service, aligned with clients’ testing requirements.
Prompt transport of specimens:
To ensure prompt testing of samples and release of results within the published test turnaround times, samples should arrive to the laboratory by 18:00. Test turnaround time is measured from receipt of the sample at the laboratory until the time the authorised results are reported to users.
In rare cases specimens may not be suitable for testing on arrival to the laboratory. In that case the sample will be rejected at the receipt stage and the service user will be notified immediately and an explanation as to why the sample could not be processed will be provided. Reasons why samples cannot be processed include but are not limited to:
Please refer to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre for the Case Definitions for Notifiable Diseases:
Following receipt at the Laboratory, results should be available on the next working day and will be reported to the referring clinician via the Enfer Medical Client Portal or in a format agreed with clients.
Established clients can login to the portal using the link above.
