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Occurrence and molecular typing of Giardia isolates in pet rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs and ferrets collected in Europe during 2006–2012
Author(s) -
Pantchev N.,
Broglia A.,
Paoletti B.,
Vrhovec M. Globokar,
Bertram A.,
Nöckler K.,
Cacciò S. M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.102236
Subject(s) - biology , giardia , veterinary medicine , parasite hosting , locus (genetics) , typing , feces , polymerase chain reaction , guinea pig , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , medicine , world wide web , computer science
A total of 1180 faecal samples (528 from rabbits, 531 from chinchillas and 121 from guinea pigs) collected during 2006–2012 by veterinarians in Germany and in other European countries were submitted to a diagnostic laboratory for Giardia testing by means of coproantigen ELISA. Of these samples, 40 rabbits (7.6 per cent), 326 chinchillas (61.4 per cent) and five guinea pigs (4.1 per cent) were found to be positive. To gain insights into the genetic identity of Giardia in small mammals, ELISA‐positive samples from 23 chinchillas, five ferrets, a rabbit, and a Desmarest's hutia were investigated by PCR and sequencing of fragments of the small subunit ribosomal DNA ( ssu ), the triose phosphate isomerase ( tpi ) and the β‐giardin ( bg ) genes. At the ssu locus, assemblage B was identified in 28 of 30 isolates, whereas assemblage A and D were each detected in one sample. The majority of isolates from chinchillas and those from ferrets had Giardia duodenalis sequences identical to sub‐assemblages AI or BIV, based on either a single locus ( tpi or bg ) or multiple loci ( tpi and bg ). As sub‐assemblages AI or BIV are associated with human infection, these results indicate that small mammals can act as reservoirs of cysts potentially infectious to humans.