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. 2015 Feb 18:21:526-32.
doi: 10.12659/MSM.892318.

Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of Giardia duodenalis isolates from Turkish children

Gulden Sonmez Tamer  1 , Murat Kasap  2 , Doganhan Kadir Er  3
Affiliations

Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of Giardia duodenalis isolates from Turkish children

Gulden Sonmez Tamer et al. Med Sci Monit. .

Abstract

Background: Giardiasis is caused by the intestinal protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (synonyms: G. lamblia, G. intestinalis), which is one of the most frequent parasites that infect Turkish children. However, molecular characterization of G. duodenalis in Turkey is relatively scarce. The present work aimed at genotyping G. duodenalis isolates from Turkey using molecular techniques.

Material and methods: In the present study, 145 fecal samples from children were collected to search for the presence of Giardia by microscopy and PCR screening. PCR generated a 384 bp fragment for β-giardin. The PCR products were sequenced and the sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analysis by using PHYLIP.

Results: Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the sequences, assemblage A, B, and mixed subtypes were determined. Of 22 isolates, 11 were identified as assemblage A (50%), 7 were assemblage B (31.8%), and 4 were assemblage AB (18.2%). Association between G. duodenalis assemblages and the epidemiological data was analyzed. No correlation was found between symptoms and infection with specific assemblages (P>0.05), but we found statistically significant association between age and the assemblage AB (P=0.001).

Conclusions: The association between G. duodenalis and the epidemiologic data were analyzed. Since assemblage A is the more prevalent subgroup compared with assemblage B, this subgroup might be responsible for common Giardia infections in Turkey. This is the first study that included a detailed phylogenetic analysis of Giardia strains from Turkey.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A representative 2% agarose gel to visualize PCR-amplified fragment of the β-giardin gene. Lane 1, 50 bp marker; lane 2, positive control; lane 12, mixture control; other lines, clinical samples.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Phylogenetic analysis of G. duodenalis assemblages.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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