Pointers for Parents
(NAPS) — When 16 people in Connecticut developed diarrhea and other distressing symptoms several days after eating the same salad at a picnic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that they had giardiasis. The CDC tracked the source of the infection to a woman who had mixed the salad with her hands.
She had probably become a carrier of the infection when failing to wash her hands properly after diapering her child.
The infectious parasite that causes giardiasis, known as Giardia, can be picked up during diaper changing and from surfaces such as changing tables and diaper pails contaminated with the feces of an infected person.
Washing your hands carefully after diapering a child can help prevent the spread of an infectious disease called giardiasis.
The CDC estimates that up to 2.5 million cases of giardiasis occur annually in the United States. Day care centers are common sites of infection.
Everyone who comes in contact with a day care center—staff, parents and children—should wash their hands often because the infection is spread so easily.
Symptoms usually appear one to two weeks after a person has been infected and may include abdominal discomfort, bloating due to intestinal gas, flatulence and diarrhea.
These symptoms may last two to six weeks. If left untreated, symptoms may persist for months.
"Because giardiasis can be spread after swallowing only a small amount of contaminated material, hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease," explains Dr. Bradley A Connor, medical director, The New York Center for Travel and Tropical Medicine and clinical associate professor of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University.
If you think you have giardiasis, tell your health care provider. By providing all the facts, you are more likely to receive a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Several drugs are available to treat the infection, including Tindamax, a single-dose prescription therapy.
"Single-dose therapies have been shown to help patients take the medication as prescribed, which is important when treating a condition like giardiasis," says Dr. Connor.
Tindamax has been designated as a drug of choice for the treatment of giardiasis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before giving any medication to a child, be sure to consult a health care professional.
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Important Safety Information
WARNING: POTENTIAL RISK FOR CARCINOGENICITY
Carcinogenicity has been seen in mice and rats treated chronically with metronidazole, another nitroimidazole agent. Although such data have not been reported for tinidazole, the two drugs are structurally related and have similar biologic effects. Its use should be reserved for the conditions described in INDICATIONS AND USAGE.
Tindamax® is a prescription antibiotic used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria and parasites. It is approved for treating trichomoniasis, also known as "trich," and bacterial vaginosis, or "BV" (in non-pregnant, adult women). It is also approved for treating giardiasis, also known as "giardia," amebiasis, and amebic liver abscess in patients age 3 and older.
Important Safety Information
Tindamax® is not for everyone. You should not take Tindamax® if you are in the first trimester of pregnancy. If you are nursing, Tindamax® can pass through your breast milk, so you should not take it unless you stop breastfeeding during your prescription and for 3 days after your last dose.
Tindamax® can lead to a temporary reduction in your white blood cells, so if you have been diagnosed with a blood disorder, talk to your doctor before starting a prescription.
Do not take Tindamax® if you have a history of sensitivity to tinidazole or related drugs in the nitroimidazole family. Reactions can range from mild itching, hives, or fever to Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which is a rare, life-threatening skin condition.
Certain drugs may interact with Tindamax®, so always tell your doctor about the medications you're taking before you start a prescription.
Take each dose of Tindamax® with food to lessen the risk of stomach upset and other GI side effects. Avoid any alcoholic beverages while taking Tindamax® and for 3 days afterward.
If you are undergoing hemodialysis while taking Tindamax® on the same day, consult your doctor for the appropriate dose of Tindamax®. An additional half-dose of Tindamax® at the end of dialysis may be recommended.
Antibacterial drugs, including Tindamax®, do not treat viral infections such as the common cold. When taking Tindamax® to treat a bacterial infection, it is very common to feel better early in your prescription; however, you should keep taking the medication as directed and for as long as directed by your doctor. Skipping doses or not taking all of your medication can make Tindamax® less effective. It can also allow the bacteria to build up resistance to the drug, so that it won't be treatable with Tindamax® or similar drugs in the future.
The most common side effects of Tindamax® are a metallic or bitter taste, nausea, weakness, fatigue, discomfort, indigestion, cramps, vomiting, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, and constipation.
Some patients taking Tindamax® may also develop a yeast infection, which can require treatment with an anti-fungal drug. Talk to your doctor if you notice any unusual symptoms.
Certain patients taking Tindamax® have experienced seizures or nerve problems, with symptoms such as numbness or tingling of the hands or feet. Other side effects included vertigo, unsteady movements, insomnia, or drowsiness. Stop taking Tindamax® if you develop any abnormal symptoms.
Tinidazole, the key ingredient in Tindamax®, is related to a drug called metronidazole, which has been linked to cancer in lab rats and mice that received the drug over long periods of time. Although these effects have not been reported for tinidazole, the two drugs are chemically related and have similar effects on the body. Therefore, Tindamax® should only be used to treat infections it has been approved to treat.
To report negative side effects, contact Mission Pharmacal Company at 1-800-298-1087 or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
