Detection and genotype analysis of Giardia duodenalis from asymptomatic Hungarian inhabitants and comparative findings in three distinct locations

Abstract

The transmission route of giardiasis not yet understood and why some infected individuals remain asymptomatic while others become quite ill. The drinking water quality is supposedly responsible for the prevalence of asymptomatic Giardia duodenalis infections in different areas, therefore asymptomatic giardiasis has been investigated in three water supply areas of Hungary: three hundred stool samples from inhabitants of Budapest, Füzér and Mátrafüred were examined by immunological and molecular methods for the presence of G. duodenalis infections. Individuals were asked to fill out a validated questionnaire at the time of stool collection and the interview covered demographic data, family life, education and travel history.In Budapest and in Mátrafüred in one stool sample G. duodenalis Assemblage A, whereas in Füzér once G. duodenalis Assemblage A, once Assemblage B and twice mixed infection were detected. We found higher prevalence rate of 4% of G. duodenalis infections of asymptomatic people in the village Füzér, where the removal of the Giardia cysts of the drinking water treatment plant was not effective. This study throws a light the need to look into the possibility of other risks of Giardia infections such as water transmission routes. To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the prevalence of G. duodenalis infections in asymptomatic persons in Hungary.

Association betweenGiardia duodenalisand Coinfection with Other Diarrhea-Causing Pathogens in India

“…Seventy-four percent of the Giardia -positive cases were found to be coinfected with other pathogens, while the remainders were single infections. As per the literature, Giardia duodenalis infection may not be associated with diarrhea or related diseases in some cases and rather remain asymptomatic for a long period of time [16, 17], but twenty-six percent of sole infection in the diarrhea patient among the study population demonstrates the symptomatic nature of Giardia in this case. Coinfection with Vibrio cholerae was the most common (32%), followed by rotavirus (19%) (Figure 3(a)).…”

Review of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in the eastern part of Europe, 2016

“…Despite this being a field investigation where only a single stool sample was examined from each participant, G. intestinalis infections were found in 4.00% (4/100; 95% CI: 1.28–9.36) of asymptomatic individuals. In both water samples and asymptomatic persons, G. intestinalis assemblage B was detected [68]. …”