Abstract
Giardia lamblia is a flagellated protozoan and the etiological agent of giardiasis, a leading cause of epidemic and sporadic diarrhoea globally. The clinical and public health relevance of giardiasis underscores the need for robust methodologies to investigate and manage this pathogen. This study reviews the main methodologies described in the literature for studying the life cycle of G. lamblia, focusing on isolation, purification, axenization, excystation, and encystation. A systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. Searches were performed in MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science Core Collection databases. A total of 43 studies were included, revealing 58 methods for isolation and purification, 7 for excystation, 2 for axenization, and 5 for encystation. Isolation and purification methods exhibited significant variability, often involving two phases: an initial separation (e.g., filtration and centrifugation) followed by purification using a density gradient for faecal samples or immunomagnetic separation for water samples. Method effectiveness differed depending on the sample source and type, limiting comparability across studies. In contrast, methods used for other life cycle stages were more consistent. These findings underscore the need for standardised methodologies to enhance the reproducibility and reliability of research outcomes in this field.