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Giardia duodenalis infection in dogs from the metropolitan area of Lisbon, Portugal: prevalence, genotyping and associated risk factors

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Abstract

Giardia duodenalis is a cosmopolitan enteric protozoan that affects a wide range of vertebrates, including humans and dogs. Genetic characterisation reveals eight different assemblages, with A and B having been found mainly in humans and several other animals, and thus considered potentially zoonotic, while C and D are adapted to infect dogs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of G. duodenalis, their distribution into assemblages, and risk factors associated with their infection of dogs from the metropolitan area of Lisbon. Giardia duodenalis cysts were microscopically identified in 33.8% (27/80) of the faecal samples analysed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that dogs under 6 months of age and from both breeders and shelters, had a significantly higher risk of being infected with G. duodenalis. Based on phylogenetic analysis of the partial coding sequences for β-giardin, glutamate dehydrogenase, and triosephosphate isomerase, the parasites found in three dog isolates were typed as G. duodenalis assemblage C, 11 were typed as D, and four were typed as C or D, depending on the targeted genes. The risk to public health seems to be reduced, as no genotypes with zoonotic potential have been detected. Nevertheless, better health management towards a minimisation of the environmental faecal pollution, as well as an increase in the awareness of health professionals, dog owners, dog breeders and caregivers regarding the risks posed by this protozoan to the health of animals and humans, are recommended.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank owners of the dogs, breeders and caregivers of the shelters for actively collaborating in the collection of samples. Authors also thank the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT) through contract GHTM-UID/Multi/04413/2013. AP has the support of the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science (via Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.), through a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/116516/2016).

Funding

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT) through contract GHTM-UID/Multi/04413/2013. AP has the support of the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science (via Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.), through a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/116516/2016).

Author information

Author notes

  1. André Pereira, Joana Teixeira and Sofia Sousa have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (NOVA), Lisboa, Portugal

    André Pereira, Ricardo Parreira & Carla Maia

  2. Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT-NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal

    André Pereira, Sofia Sousa, Lenea Campino & Carla Maia

  3. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, CIISA-Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal

    Joana Teixeira & José Meireles

  4. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa, Portugal

    Sofia Sousa

  5. Medical Microbiology Unit, IHMT-NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal

    Ricardo Parreira

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  1. André Pereira
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Contributions

AP collected the faecal samples and information of each dog, performed microscopic, molecular, phylogenetic and statistical analyses, and revised the manuscript. JT collected the faecal samples and information of each dog and performed microscopic analysis. SS collected the faecal samples and information of each dog and performed microscopic examination and molecular analyses. RP supervised the phylogenetic analysis and critically reviewed the manuscript. LC critically reviewed the manuscript. JM supervised the study and critically reviewed the manuscript. CM supervised the study and wrote the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carla Maia.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethics approval

Consent to process faecal samples was obtained from the owners of the dogs, breeders or the person in charge of the shelters. This study was ethically approved by the board of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (ULHT) as complying with the Portuguese legislation for the protection of animals (Law No. 92/1995).

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Pereira, A., Teixeira, J., Sousa, S. et al. Giardia duodenalis infection in dogs from the metropolitan area of Lisbon, Portugal: prevalence, genotyping and associated risk factors. J Parasit Dis 45, 372–379 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01307-4

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