title: Canine giardiosis in Sardinia Island, Italy: prevalence, molecular characterization, and risk factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The flagellate protozoan Giardia duodenalis causes infection in humans and in various animals. Eight distinct assemblages (A-H) have been identified within G. duodenalis; assemblages A and B are those specific to humans and animals, and assemblages C to H are restricted to animal hosts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study estimated the prevalence of G. duodenalis assemblages in dogs living in the Sardinia region and evaluated the related risk factors. Individual fecal samples were collected from 655 dogs between January 2007 and December 2010, and a form was filled out for each animal to analyze historic data that were available at the time of sampling. Fecal samples were subjected to microscopic and genetic investigations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cysts of G. duodenalis were found in 172 (26.3%) samples, with significant values in puppies between three and nine months of age, and in kennelled and hunting dogs. The molecular characterization showed the presence of assemblages D (49%), C (36.1%), and subtype A2 (4.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present survey contributes to the knowledge of the occurrence of canine giardiosis in Italy in a region with a high number of dogs and numerous animal movements, which is especially relevant for touristic reasons.
authors.affiliation: University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. paolapipia@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Anna Paola
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Pipia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varcasia
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tamponi
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soda
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paoletti
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Traversa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scala
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D005838:Genotype; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D015995:Prevalence; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; C065096:RNA, ribosomal, 26S