title: Prevalence and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis in dogs in Aydin, Turkey.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis among dogs in Aydin, Turkey. A total of 473 faecal samples from dogs were collected. The overall prevalence of G. duodenalis was 18.8%. Higher infection rates were observed in dogs younger than three months old, from shelters, and with diarrhoea. Faecal samples of 89 dogs, diagnosed Giardia-positive by microscopy, were found positive by nested PCR. The β-giardin nested PCR assay revealed assemblage B in all samples (100%), whereas 38 of the samples were mixed with assemblage A (42%). Sequence analysis of isolates indicated sub-genotypes A3 and B4 which have been previously detected in human isolates from Turkey. The results of the present study indicated the relatively high prevalence of giardiasis and the presence of the zoonotic sub-genotypes suggesting the important role of dogs as potential reservoirs of human infections.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Veterinary, Department of Internal Medicine , Adnan Menderes University , Isikli , Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5197-2403
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gultekin
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Veterinary, Department of Internal Medicine , Adnan Menderes University , Isikli , Turkey.
authors.forename: Kerem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ural
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Veterinary, Department of Parasitology , Adnan Menderes University , Isikli , Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuran
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aysul
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Veterinary, Department of Parasitology , Adnan Menderes University , Isikli , Turkey.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayan
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Veterinary, Department of Internal Medicine , Adnan Menderes University , Isikli , Turkey.
authors.forename: Canberk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balikci
authors.affiliation: c Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology , Namik Kemal University , Tekirdag , Turkey.
authors.forename: Gurkan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akyildiz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: assemblage; dog; giardiasis; prevalence