Pathogenicity and virulence of Giardia intestinalis.

Giardia intestinalis exhibits genetic diversity and employs multiple virulence mechanisms, including antigenic variation and extracellular vesicle release, to persist in hosts.

• Why it matters: Understanding the parasite's virulence strategies is crucial for developing targeted treatments and managing giardiasis, which has variable clinical outcomes and often remains asymptomatic.
• What they did: The review synthesizes current knowledge on Giardia's genetic diversity, attachment via ventral disk, motility through flagella, antigenic variation, and secretion of proteins and small RNAs, highlighting areas for further research.
• The result: This comprehensive overview advances understanding of Giardia's pathogenicity, emphasizing the need to connect specific virulence mechanisms to disease development and persistence.