Evaluation of the zoonotic potential of Giardia duodenalis in fecal samples from dogs and cats in Ontario.
This study determined the distribution and zoonotic potential of Giardia duodenalis assemblage types among canine and feline fecal samples from Ontario. The effectiveness of Giardia assemblage typing methods by sequencing the genes of small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssu-rRNA), β-giardin (bg), glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), and triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) was evaluated simultaneously. From 2008 to 2010, 118 canine and 15 feline Giardia positive fecal samples were tested. The ssu-rRNA sequencing method typed 64% (75/118) and 87% (13/15) of the Giardia-positive canine and feline samples, respectively. Among the typeable samples, 68% (51/75) of canine samples contained G. duodenalis assemblage D and 31% (23/75) contained G. duodenalis assemblage C (both non-zoonotic assemblage types). Only 1% (1/75) of the typeable canine samples contained a potentially zoonotic assemblage B. In contrast, 100% (13/13) of the typeable feline samples contained potentially zoonotic assemblages A (n = 12) or B (n = 1).
Animal Health Laboratory, Laboratory Services Division, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
Rebeccah M
RM
McDowall
Andrew S
AS
Peregrine
Erin K
EK
Leonard
Christopher
C
Lacombe
Mary
M
Lake
Ana R
AR
Rebelo
Hugh Y
HY
Cai
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary*; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D015047:Zoonoses
D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase