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[Giardia intestinalis (syn. Giardia lamblia)]

Giardia intestinalis trophozoites are pear-shaped and measure 10-20 micrometers in length.  In permanent, stained specimens, 2 large nuclei are usually visible.  The sucking disks (used for attaching to the host’s mucosal epithelium), median bodies, and flagella (8) may also be seen.

A	B

A: G. intestinalis trophozoite in a wet mount stained with iodine.
B: G. intestinalis trophozoite in a wet mount under differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy.  Image taken at 1000× magnification.