Identification of zoonotic Giardia genotypes in marsupials in Australia

Exp Parasitol. 2008 Sep;120(1):88-93. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.05.002. Epub 2008 May 29.

Abstract

A total of 421 fecal samples from a variety of captive and wild marsupial hosts in Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia were screened for the presence of Giardia species/genotypes using PCR and sequence analysis of a fragment of the 18S rRNA gene. Giardia spp. were identified in 13.4% (28/209) of samples from captive marsupials and 13.7% (29/212) of samples from wild marsupials. Sequence analysis at the 18S locus identified the zoonotic Giardia duodenalis Genotypes A and B in both captive and wild marsupials. Eight isolates were typed as genotype B3 and B4 at the gdh locus, although 7/8 were typed as genotype A at the 18S rRNA locus. The possible reasons for this discordance are discussed. This is the first report of genotype B and only the second report of genotype A in marsupials. As some of the genotype B isolates were identical to human-derived Giardia gdh sequences, these results suggest that marsupials in catchments may pose a public health risk and therefore warrant further investigation.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild
  • Animals, Zoo
  • Australia / epidemiology
  • DNA, Protozoan / chemistry
  • DNA, Protozoan / isolation & purification
  • DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal / isolation & purification
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Genotype
  • Giardia / classification*
  • Giardia / genetics
  • Giardia / isolation & purification
  • Giardiasis / epidemiology
  • Giardiasis / parasitology*
  • Humans
  • Marsupialia / parasitology*
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prevalence
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics
  • Zoonoses / parasitology*

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S