RESUMO
A study was conducted in two different areas in Greece to investigate the presence of intestinal human parasitic infections (targeting healthy and individuals with diarrhoea). In total, 876 stool samples were collected from 822 adults and 54 children. Both sedimentation (acid/ether) and concentration/flotation techniques were performed in all samples to detect intestinal parasites. Additionally, a quantitative direct immunofluorescence assay was used specifically for the detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium. PCR followed by sequencing was applied to genotype Giardia and Cryptosporidium positive samples. Thirty-five (4%) of the individuals examined harboured at least one species of intestinal parasite, the majority of which were protozoa (3.8%). The species found were Blastocystis hominis (1.8%), Giardia duodenalis (1.3%), Cryptosporidium spp. (0.6%), Entamoeba coli (0.2%) and E. histolytica/E. dispar (0.1%). Two persons were positive for Enterobius vermicularis. Genotyping results revealed the presence of G. duodenalis sub-assemblage AII, whereas sequencing was not successful for Cryptosporidium positive samples. A novel multi-locus genotype of G. duodenalis was identified, which has not been described in humans or animals previously. Overall, in the studied population, infection rates with intestinal parasites were low and similar to previous published data. As infection levels were low, no associations could be made between infection status and clinical relevance, risk factors or indication of potential sources of infection, apart from the fact that infections with Giardia were positively correlated to diarrhoea. Based on the parasite species and genotypes detected, there was no indication that animals were an important source of infection. Thus, it is suggested that Giardia infections were more likely to be acquired via human-to-human transmission, either involving indirect pathways such as contaminated food or water, or via direct contact.
RESUMO
Faecal samples were collected from foals between the age of 1 week and 6 months in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Greece. A quantitative direct immunofluorescence assay based on the commercial MERIFLUOR Cryptosporidium/Giardia kit was performed to evaluate the presence of (oo) cysts. Parasite positive samples were genotyped, based on the 18S ribosomal DNA gene and the heat shock protein (HSP70) gene for Cryptosporidium and on the ß-giardin gene and the triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) gene for Giardia. In total, 134 foals from Belgium, 44 foals from The Netherlands, 30 foals from Germany and 190 foals from Greece were examined. No Cryptosporidium oocysts were identified in faecal samples from foals in Germany and The Netherlands. In Belgium and Greece, 4.5% and 1.1% of the foals examined were Cryptosporidium positive, respectively, all with a low oocyst excretion ranging from 100 to 2450 oocysts per gram of faeces. For Giardia, 14.2%, 11.4%, 10.0% and 11.6% of the foals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Greece, respectively, were found to excrete cysts, with a range of 50 up to 4,000,000 cysts per gram of faeces. Younger animals secreted significantly more Giardia cysts than older horses (p<0.05), but no significant correlation between Giardia infection and diarrhoea was observed. Most Giardia positive samples belonged to assemblage AI and/or BIV, but also assemblage E was detected in two samples. Together with the identification of Cryptosporidium horse genotype, this suggests only a low risk for zoonotic transmission.
