Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern China: prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization

Abstract Background Giardia duodenalis is a common parasitic diarrheal agent in humans, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization of G. duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and animals in northeastern China, an...

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Main Authors: Yanchen Wu, Lan Yao, Hongshuang Chen, Weizhe Zhang, Yanyan Jiang, Fengkun Yang, Aiqin Liu, Yujuan Shen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022-05-01
Series:Parasites & Vectors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05269-9
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author Yanchen Wu
Lan Yao
Hongshuang Chen
Weizhe Zhang
Yanyan Jiang
Fengkun Yang
Aiqin Liu
Yujuan Shen
author_facet Yanchen Wu
Lan Yao
Hongshuang Chen
Weizhe Zhang
Yanyan Jiang
Fengkun Yang
Aiqin Liu
Yujuan Shen
author_sort Yanchen Wu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Giardia duodenalis is a common parasitic diarrheal agent in humans, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization of G. duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and animals in northeastern China, and to assess the epidemiological role of animals in the transmission of human giardiasis. Methods A total of 1739 fecal specimens from 413 diarrheal patients and 1326 animals comprising 16 mammal species were collected in Heilongjiang Province of China and screened for G. duodenalis by PCR and sequencing of the SSU rRNA gene. All G. duodenalis-positive specimens were subtyped by PCR and sequencing of the bg, tpi, and gdh genes. To detect additional mixed infections of different assemblages, assemblage A/B/E-specific PCRs were performed to amplify the tpi gene. Results Sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA gene determined the prevalence of G. duodenalis (5.81%, 24/413) in diarrheal patients, with a peak in minors aged 5–17 years, and identified assemblages A and B. MLG-AII and MLG-B1 were obtained based on concatenated nucleotide sequences of the bg, tpi, and gdh genes, with MLG-AII being identical to a cat-derived isolate reported previously. By sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA gene, G. duodenalis was detected in 214 (16.14%) animals belonging to 11 mammal species, with the prevalence ranging from 1.69 to 53.85%, and assemblages A to G were identified. Sequence analysis of the bg, tpi, and gdh genes from 46 specimens produced 31 MLGs, including MLG-AI (n = 1), MLG-B2–B8 (n = 18), and MLG-E1–E23 (n = 27). Conclusions The finding of G. duodenalis in diarrheal patients enhances consciousness of detecting G. duodenalis in clinical practice and emphasizes the importance of health education in local inhabitants, especially in the age group of 5–17 years. The identification of seven assemblages (A to G) and 33 MLGs reveals genetic heterogeneity of G. duodenalis in the investigated areas. Due to insufficient homology data on the zoonotic transmission of G. duodenalis, the precise epidemiological role that animals play in the transmission of human giardiasis needs to be assessed by more large-scale molecular epidemiological investigations of local humans and animals. Graphical Abstract
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spelling doaj.art-5ca5082ef65f4241a1e29d3bf9e133db2022-12-22T00:40:14ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052022-05-0115111110.1186/s13071-022-05269-9Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern China: prevalence and multilocus genetic characterizationYanchen Wu0Lan Yao1Hongshuang Chen2Weizhe Zhang3Yanyan Jiang4Fengkun Yang5Aiqin Liu6Yujuan Shen7Department of Parasitology, Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Parasitology, Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Parasitology, Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Parasitology, Harbin Medical UniversityNational Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical DiseasesDepartment of Parasitology, Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Parasitology, Harbin Medical UniversityNational Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical DiseasesAbstract Background Giardia duodenalis is a common parasitic diarrheal agent in humans, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization of G. duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and animals in northeastern China, and to assess the epidemiological role of animals in the transmission of human giardiasis. Methods A total of 1739 fecal specimens from 413 diarrheal patients and 1326 animals comprising 16 mammal species were collected in Heilongjiang Province of China and screened for G. duodenalis by PCR and sequencing of the SSU rRNA gene. All G. duodenalis-positive specimens were subtyped by PCR and sequencing of the bg, tpi, and gdh genes. To detect additional mixed infections of different assemblages, assemblage A/B/E-specific PCRs were performed to amplify the tpi gene. Results Sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA gene determined the prevalence of G. duodenalis (5.81%, 24/413) in diarrheal patients, with a peak in minors aged 5–17 years, and identified assemblages A and B. MLG-AII and MLG-B1 were obtained based on concatenated nucleotide sequences of the bg, tpi, and gdh genes, with MLG-AII being identical to a cat-derived isolate reported previously. By sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA gene, G. duodenalis was detected in 214 (16.14%) animals belonging to 11 mammal species, with the prevalence ranging from 1.69 to 53.85%, and assemblages A to G were identified. Sequence analysis of the bg, tpi, and gdh genes from 46 specimens produced 31 MLGs, including MLG-AI (n = 1), MLG-B2–B8 (n = 18), and MLG-E1–E23 (n = 27). Conclusions The finding of G. duodenalis in diarrheal patients enhances consciousness of detecting G. duodenalis in clinical practice and emphasizes the importance of health education in local inhabitants, especially in the age group of 5–17 years. The identification of seven assemblages (A to G) and 33 MLGs reveals genetic heterogeneity of G. duodenalis in the investigated areas. Due to insufficient homology data on the zoonotic transmission of G. duodenalis, the precise epidemiological role that animals play in the transmission of human giardiasis needs to be assessed by more large-scale molecular epidemiological investigations of local humans and animals. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05269-9Giardia duodenalisMultilocus genotypingAssemblageSub-assemblageDiarrheal patientsMammals
spellingShingle Yanchen Wu
Lan Yao
Hongshuang Chen
Weizhe Zhang
Yanyan Jiang
Fengkun Yang
Aiqin Liu
Yujuan Shen
Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern China: prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization
Parasites & Vectors
Giardia duodenalis
Multilocus genotyping
Assemblage
Sub-assemblage
Diarrheal patients
Mammals
title Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern China: prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization
title_full Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern China: prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization
title_fullStr Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern China: prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization
title_full_unstemmed Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern China: prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization
title_short Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern China: prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization
title_sort giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and various animals in northeastern china prevalence and multilocus genetic characterization
topic Giardia duodenalis
Multilocus genotyping
Assemblage
Sub-assemblage
Diarrheal patients
Mammals
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05269-9
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