SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/hike-giardia

What kind of illness can Giardia in backcountry water cause?

Diarrhea and stomach cramps are common symptoms.

Start playing free

  1. Sore throat and runny nose
  2. Diarrhea and stomach cramps ✔
  3. Hearing loss and ringing ears

Why: Giardia is a parasite. Common symptoms are diarrhea, gas, stomach cramps and nausea. Treat backcountry water before drinking it.

Huh, didn't know that: Drinking straight from a clear mountain stream is generally not safe, CDC says.

The dad joke
Why did the Giardia cross the stream? To get to the other intestine.
Like this card?
Play the game

References

Answer: Diarrhea and stomach cramps. Giardia is a parasite. Common symptoms are diarrhea, gas, stomach cramps and nausea. Treat backcountry water before drinking it.

  1. CDC: Giardiasis 2011 Case Definition ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/giardiasis-2011
    characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating, weight loss, or malabsorption.
    Checked 2026-10-12.
  2. CDC: Water Treatment When Hiking, Camping or Traveling www.cdc.gov/drinking-water/prevention/water-treatment-hiking-camping-traveling.html
    Drinking water straight from a clear mountain stream is generally not safe
    Checked 2026-10-12.

Think this answer is wrong? Tap "Challenge this answer" on the card in the game and tell us why.

Test yourself in the game

Outdoors & CampingAt elevations no higher than 6,500 feet, how long should you boil clear water at a rolling boil?Outdoors & CampingWhich group first came up with the Ten Essentials packing system for hikers?Outdoors & CampingWhy does the Park Service recommend a headlamp over a regular flashlight for hiking?

That's stuff everyone should know.