Comments on: Giardia: Protozoan of never ending wonders

By: Interrobang

Interrobang — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:04:50 +0000

My mother contracted a giardia infection while camping. I forget what exactly they did to treat it, but I seem to recall she didn’t find it too bad. She didn’t like us teasing her about it using the vernacular name for the disease, though, since at least here, giardia infection is called “beaver fever.”

By: uncle noel

uncle noel — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:34:59 +0000

Obviously they can tell when they are under the microscope and are too modest to be observed conjugating. They probably [exchange genetic material] like bunnies in the privacy of your own gut.

By: MikeG

MikeG — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:15:16 +0000

Nope, not a bacterium. It’s a bona-fide eukaryote, like you and me. Its ancestors had mitochondria, like we do, but somewhen in the past, it moved many of the mitochondrial genes to its nucleus and lost its mitochondria.That’s why it’s so hard to treat. It’s tough to kill a eukaryote when it lives in a eukaryote that you don’t want to kill.

By: John Monfries

John Monfries — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:34:19 +0000

I take it it’s a kind of bacterium?Anyway, maybe furtive sex is the best.

By: Rubymac

Rubymac — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:59:43 +0000

For those of you who like your microbes warm and fuzzy, check out: http://www.giantmicrobes.com/