Microscopic and Molecular Diagnosis of Giardia Duodenalis in Human in Babylon Province, Iraq

Abstract

Considering the importance of G. duodenalis to public health and the country's economic situation due to the threat of an outbreak and economic losses . Thus, this study aimed to detect G. duodenalis in human in Babylon province using traditional and molecular techniques. This study was conducted in Babelon province from 1st of Oct 2022 to 30th of March 2023. A total of 100 human stool samples were examined microscopically for detecion of G. duodenalis from both diarrheal and non diarrheal patients attend hospitals and public health centers laboratories . By using microscopic examination. The rate of infection with G.duodenalis was 34/100 (34%). According to sex, the highest infection rate in humans was in males 19/51(37.25%) compared to females 15/49 (30,61%). Significant differences (P≤0.05) was recorded in the rate of infection between age groups, the highest rate 17/29 (58.62% ) observed in (5-14 years) of human. Rural area revealed the highest rate of infection than urban area in human 24/55 (43.63%) with significant differences (P≤0.05). The highest infection rate in humans 10/17 (58.82%) was in November with no statistically significant differences (P≤0.05). In molecular diagnosis, DNA extraction was performed for 40 stool samples human, in order to investigate the genotypes of G. duodenalis from human in Babylon, seven Giardia isolates. were genetically characterized by SSU-rDNA gene sequencing. The results showed the percent of assemblage A was 5/7 (71.4%), while assemblage B was 2/7 (28.6%). These findings suggested that infection of humans by zoonotic genotypes A and B were the most common genotypes detected in all human samples in Babylon province, demonstrating the importance of genotyping identification in understanding the transmission routes and epidemiology of giardiasis.