ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND The parasite Giardia duodenalis infects a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including domestic and wild animals as well as humans. Giardia is genotyped into eight assemblages (A-H). Zoonotic assemblages A and B have already been identified in humans and wild and domestic animals (non-human primates and cats) from Brazilian Amazon and in the world. Due to its zoonotic/zooanthroponotic nature, surveillance initiatives and the definition of Giardia assemblages are important in order to characterise the epidemiological scenario and to implement further control measures. OBJECTIVES Determine assemblages of G. duodenalis in sloths from the Brazilian Amazon Region. METHODS Faecal parasitological examination of sloths from Amazonas State. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the beta giardin (BG), and genes from multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme, amplicon sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. FINDINGS Here, we identified, by microscopy, Giardia in two northern sloths (Bradypus tridactylus). These two samples were submitted to molecular assays and it was revealed that both were infected by G. duodenalis assemblage A. Phylogenetic analysis showed that they belong to assemblage A within sequences from humans and wild and domestic animals. CONCLUSION Therefore, besides showing, by the first time, the current presence of this parasite in sloths, our findings reveals that this wild animal species would be part of the zoonotic/zooanthroponotic scenario of this parasite in the Brazilian Amazon.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Giardia duodenalis is a protozoan parasite that infects humans and other mammals and causes giardiasis worldwide. Giardia is genotyped into eight assemblages (A-H), with assemblages A and B considered zoonotic. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the assemblages of G. duodenalis from individuals living in rural and urban areas of the Amazonas State. METHODS 103 human faecal specimens microscopically positive for the presence of Giardia obtained from four municipalities in Amazonas and four animal faecal specimens were genotyped based on the sequences of two genes, triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) and β-giardin (BG). FINDINGS In humans, assemblage A was the most represented with the identification of sub-assemblages AI, AII and AIII based on BG and sub-assemblages AI and AII based on TPI. Similarly, there is a diversity of sub-assemblage B considering BG (B and BIII) and TPI (B, BIII and BIV). In addition, we characterised homogeneous and heterogeneous genotypes comprising assemblages/sub-assemblages A and B in individuals from urban and rural areas. Here, for the first time, it was genotyped Giardia that infects animals from the Brazilian Amazon region. We identified sub-assemblage AI in one Ateles paniscus and two Felis catus and sub-assemblage BIV in one Lagothrix cana. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Therefore, humans and animals from the urban and rural Amazon share Giardia genotypes belonging to assemblages A and B, which are found in cosmopolitan regions around the world.