Prevalence and Zoonotic Potential of <i>Giardia intestinalis</i> in Dogs of the Central Region of Mexico
Elsa M. Godínez-Galaz,
Nerina P. Veyna-Salazar,
Andrea M. Olvera-Ramírez,
Feliciano Milián-Suazo,
Claudia A. Perea-Razo,
Rodolfo Bernal-Reynaga,
Germinal J. Cantó-Alarcón
Affiliations
Elsa M. Godínez-Galaz
Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, Querétaro C.P. 76230, Mexico
Nerina P. Veyna-Salazar
Maestría en Salud y Producción Animal Sustentable, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, Querétaro C.P. 76230, Mexico
Andrea M. Olvera-Ramírez
Cuerpo Académico Salud Animal y Microbiología Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, Querétaro C.P. 76230, Mexico
Feliciano Milián-Suazo
Cuerpo Académico Salud Animal y Microbiología Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, Querétaro C.P. 76230, Mexico
Claudia A. Perea-Razo
Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, Querétaro C.P. 76230, Mexico
Rodolfo Bernal-Reynaga
Cuerpo Académico Consolidado de Salud Pública, Unidad de Investigaciones en Salud Pública “Dra. Kaethe Willms”, Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Ave. de las Américas y Blvd. Universitarios, Ciudad Universitaria, Culiacán, Sinaloa C.P. 80100, Mexico
Germinal J. Cantó-Alarcón
Cuerpo Académico Salud Animal y Microbiología Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, Querétaro C.P. 76230, Mexico
Giardia intestinalis is a protozoan of worldwide distribution capable of infecting a large number of species, including humans and domestic animals. Dogs represent a risk to public health due to cross-infections by the zoonotic assemblages. However, there is little information concerning the prevalence and frequency of this parasite and its assemblages in dogs of the central region of Mexico, thus this study aimed to contribute to this matter. A total of 402 feces samples from dogs of different settings (shelter, breeding establishments, domestic and stray) were obtained and direct coproparasitoscopic examination by flotation revealed a prevalence of 25%. PCR was performed for amplification of the β-Giardin gene, to which 24 samples were positive. Assemblages were obtained through RFLP analysis, using enzymes Hae III to obtain the main genotypes (A−G), and Hha I to subtype assemblage A. All 24 samples were genotyped as assemblage A, with 83% as AI and 17% as AII. Thus, these findings confirm that dogs in the central region of Mexico are a risk for zoonotic transmission of this parasite, emphasizing the importance of a much needed control of the disease in this species.
