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Correlation of Giardia duodenalis assemblages with clinical and epidemiological data in Cuban children

Luis Jerez Puebla1, Fidel A Núñez1, Yenisey Alfonso Fernández1

  • 1Department of Parasitology, Tropical Medicine Institute "Pedro Kourí", Autopista Novia del Mediodía Km 6½ e/Autopista Nacional y Carretera Central, La Habana, Cuba.

Infection, Genetics and Evolution : Journal of Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics in Infectious Diseases
|January 28, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Giardia duodenalis infections are common in children globally. Assemblage B was more prevalent in symptomatic children, with sub-assemblage AII being the most frequent genetic group identified.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Parasitology
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Giardia duodenalis is a leading cause of parasitic intestinal infections in children worldwide.
  • Assemblages A and B are the primary genetic groups known to infect humans.
  • Giardiasis presents a significant clinical challenge in Cuban children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To genetically characterize Giardia duodenalis isolates from children in Cuba.
  • To correlate genetic findings with clinical and epidemiological data.
  • To identify the prevalence of different G. duodenalis assemblages and sub-assemblages.

Main Methods:

  • Stool samples were collected from children diagnosed with giardiasis.
  • Assemblage identification was performed using PCR amplification of the triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) gene.
  • Sub-assemblage typing utilized nested PCR targeting the ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer (IGS) region.

Main Results:

  • Giardia duodenalis assemblages A and B were detected in 40% and 42% of samples, respectively.
  • Assemblage B showed a significant association with symptoms like diarrhea, flatulence, and abdominal pain (P<0.01).
  • Sub-assemblage AII was the predominant type, accounting for 86.5% of identified cases.

Conclusions:

  • Genetic characterization revealed the circulation of G. duodenalis assemblages A and B in Cuban children.
  • Assemblage B is more strongly linked to symptomatic giardiasis in this pediatric population.
  • Sub-assemblage AII represents the dominant G. duodenalis strain affecting children in the studied region.

Keywords:
AssemblagesChildrenCubaGiardia duodenalisPCR

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