Beaver Fever

Beavers have gotten a bad rap for hosting and shedding in their feces a protozoan pathogen known as Giardia lamblia.  Acquiring this gastrointestinal infection is associated with drinking untreated or unfiltered water from lakes and rivers even in remote areas such as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota. Although beavers get blamed for releasing this protozoan pathogen into the water, it is far from clear and certainly more complex; likely involving other wildlife species as well as domestic animals such as dogs. Even humans may have contributed to the prevalence of this pathogen in many pristine areas.