POTENTIAL CROSS-CONTAMINATION OF SIMILAR Giardia duodenalis ASSEMBLAGE IN CHILDREN AND PET DOGS IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL, AS DETERMINED BY PCR-RFLP

Abstract

SUMMARY Giardia duodenalis is an enteric parasite that has distinct genetic groups. Human infections are mainly caused by assemblages A and B, although sporadic infections by assemblages C and D have also been reported. Animals can be infected by a wide range of assemblages (A to H). The aim of this study is to identify the assemblages and sub-assemblages of G. duodenalis with zoonotic features in fecal samples of school-aged children, and in dogs that coexist in the same households in Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Fecal samples of 91 children and 108 dogs were obtained and G. duodenalis cysts were detected in samples from 11 (12.08%) children and 10 (9.25%) dogs. DNA extracted from the 21 positive samples was analyzed by PCR-RFLP, using the gdh gene. Results showed the presence of sub-assemblages AI (2/11), AII (4/11), BIII (2/11), and BIV(3/11) among children and AI (5/10) and BIV(3/10) in dogs, with zoonotic characteristics, and the carnivore specific assemblage C (2/10). G. duodenalis was found to infect both children and dogs living in the same household, with the same sub-assemblage (BIV) indicating that pet dogs are a potential risk of transmission of G. duodenalis to humans.

The Predominance of Giardia duodenalis AII sub-assemblage in young children from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

“…In Fortaleza 28 , Minas Gerais 29 , and Paraná 48 , B molecular isolates were more frequent. However, in studies conducted in Amazonas 49 , Rio de Janeiro 30 , Sao Paulo 50 , and Santa Catarina 51 , assemblages A and B were found in similar proportions. It is important to note that the majority of studies in Brazil performed molecular characterization of less than 50 G. duodenalis isolates 26 , 29 , 48 , 50 - 53 .…”

Epidemiology of Giardia duodenalis assemblages in Brazil: there is still a long way to go

“… 21 , 28 , 40 , 43 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 The most used target in PCR-RFLP was gdh , and sometimes appeared combined with the target βg . 21 , 43 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 Only one study used only the βg target for genotyping in PCR-RFLP. 28 In these studies, PCR-RFLP showed a satisfactory result in identifying the assemblages circulating, with the exception of just one study where PCR-RFLP data obtained by sequencing did not determine the assemblage of isolates from samples of humans, dogs and vegetables.…”

“…In Brazil, assemblages A, B, C and E have already been identified in isolates from human faeces samples distributed in 21 studies carried out in the nine states. 8 , 12 , 42 , 43 , 46 , 48 , 49 , 52 , 59 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 Assemblages A and B are classically associated with infection in humans ( Table I ) ( Fig. 3 ).…”

The first multilocus genotype analysis of Giardia intestinalis in humans in the Czech Republic

“…Biological and/or epidemiological differences between and within the two major human-pathogenic assemblages A and B are still unclear. For instance, contradictory results have been published regarding geographical distribution and virulence of the assemblages (Haque et al 2005; Lebbad et al 2011; Minetti et al 2015 a ; de Quadros et al 2016; Hussein et al 2016; Faria et al 2017). Some studies have addressed possible association between assemblage occurrences and the age or gender of patients, clinical manifestation or drug sensitivity (Read et al 2002; Gelanew et al 2007; Sahagun et al 2008; Mahdy et al 2009; Bonhomme et al 2011).…”