title: Molecular identification of Giardia duodenalis isolates from domestic dogs and cats in Wroclaw, Poland.
abstract: Giardia duodenalis (G. intestinalis) is a common protozoan causing gastrointestinal disorders in many species of mammals. The genus of Giardia has high molecular diversity. Dogs and cats, in addition to their typical infection with assemblages C, D and F, may be a reservoir of zoonotic assemblages (A and B).
  
  
  
  The aim of this study was a genetic characteristic of Giardia isolates of dogs and cats from the area of Wroclaw (Poland).
  
  
  
  A total of 128 and 33 faecal samples from dogs and cats, respectively, were analyzed by routine coprological methods. The animals were diagnosed on the presence of G. duodenalis antigens in faeces soluble with the use of SNAP Giardia (IDEXX Laboratories) immunosorbent assay. 27 DNA isolates of Giardia were subjected to molecular identification (PCR-RFLP).
  
  
  
  The prevalence of G. duodenalis was 21.1% (27/128) in dogs and 15.1% (5/33) in cats. In dogs, C assemblage was present in 18 (81%) positive stool samples, D assemblage in 2 (9%) samples, B assemblage present in one (4.5%), and mixed assemblages (C and D) occurred in one (4.5%) sample. F assemblage was found in 4 (80%) cats' positive stool samples and A assemblage occurred in one case (20%). Confirmation of the presence of A and B zoonotic assemblages suggests that infected pets can be a threat to human health. This study describes for the first time the presence of mixed infections within host-specific C and D assemblages in dogs in Poland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piekarska
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Division of Immunology and Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bajzert
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorczykowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kantyka
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene and Consumer Health Protection, Division of Food Microbiology and Processing Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Podkowik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C038207:giardin protein, Giardia lamblia