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J Pediatr Infect Dis 2016; 11(01): 006-012
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1586212
Original Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Distribution of Giardia duodenalis Assemblages by PCR-RFLP of β-Giardin Gene in Cuban Children

Luis Enrique Jerez Puebla
1   Department of Parasitology, Tropical Medicine Institute “Pedro Kourí,” Havana, Cuba
,
Fidel A. Núñez
1   Department of Parasitology, Tropical Medicine Institute “Pedro Kourí,” Havana, Cuba
,
Lázara Rojas Rivero
1   Department of Parasitology, Tropical Medicine Institute “Pedro Kourí,” Havana, Cuba
,
Isabel Martínez Silva
2   Department Parasitology, Paediatric Academic Hospital “William Soler,” Havana, Cuba
,
Lucia Ayllón Valdés
2   Department Parasitology, Paediatric Academic Hospital “William Soler,” Havana, Cuba
,
Iraís Atencio Millán
1   Department of Parasitology, Tropical Medicine Institute “Pedro Kourí,” Havana, Cuba
,
Norbert Müller
3   Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

01 June 2016

08 June 2016

Publication Date:
17 August 2016 (online)

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Abstract

Giardia duodenalis is one of the most prevalent intestinal parasites worldwide that infect humans, especially children. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of assemblages of Giardia among a group of children. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in the Pediatric Academic Hospital “William Soler” from January 2014 to September 2014 in 286 children as part of a surveillance program of intestinal parasitic infections in scholar children. Out of 286 samples examined, 27 were positive for G. duodenalis for an infection rate of 9.34%. All Giardia positive samples were successfully amplified by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the β-giardin gene. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of these PCR products revealed that children infected with assemblage B were more prevalent (19/27; 70.4%) than those who harbored assemblage A (8/27; 29.6%) of this parasite. Abdominal pain was statistically associated with the infecting assemblage B of Giardia. The sequence of PCR products of β-giardin gene from symptomatic children infected with assemblage A revealed a distribution of four subassemblages AII divided in two subtypes A3 and two A2. Cases infected with subassemblage AII-A3 had a more abrupt onset of symptomatology. These findings highlighted the use of novel molecular tools for a better discrimination of assemblages at the subassemblages and genotypes levels are needed to verify possible correlations between Giardia genotypes and symptomatology of giardiasis.

Keywords

Giardia duodenalis - assemblages - prevalence - children - PCR - β-giardin - sequencing - Cuba
 

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