Neglected Diseases-Parasitic Infections among Slovakian Children from Different Populations and Genotypes of Giardia duodenalis.

Júlia Šmigová,Serena Cavallero,Jindřich Šoltys,Ján Papaj,Viliam Šnábel,Ingrid Papajová,Ľubomír Šmiga

doi:10.3390/microorganisms10020381

Abstract

Children are most prone to parasitic infections. The objectives of the study were to examine the occurrence of parasitic infections in children from different populations and to perform molecular characterization of human Giardia duodenalis isolates. We examined 631 stool samples from Roma and non-Roma children for the presence of parasitic developmental stages. Samples were collected from three eastern Slovakia districts. The ages of the children ranged from 1 months to 17 years. Subsequently, the molecular characterization of human G. duodenalis isolates by PCR detected triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) and beta-giardin (bg) genes was performed. The overall prevalence of parasitic infection was 19.8%. Ascaris lumbricoides eggs were the most frequent, with an occurrence of about 13.8%. G. duodenalis cysts were present in 6.3% of samples. G. duodenalis isolates obtained from 13 children were subjected to DNA sequencing with tpi and bg genes. Five isolates were categorized as bearing subassemblage BIII, the three isolates as subassemblage BIV, one person was infected with a mixture of subassemblages BIII and BIV, four children had subassemblage AII, and one isolate revealed a structure corresponding with subassemblage AI. Our work is proof that poverty and poor hygiene contribute the most to public health problems associated with neglected parasitic diseases.

Highlights

Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe WHO (World Health Organization) recently reported that zoonotic parasitic diseases are increasingly influencing human populations due to the effects of globalization, climate change, reduction in animal species and habitat variability [1]
The growing number of people is exacerbating social and economic disparities, leading to an increase in the number of people living on the edge of poverty, lower living standards and segregation, and to deteriorating health and a higher frequency of parasitic infections, especially in areas with the poor hygiene or in areas with insufficient infrastructure
The study population consisted of children and adolescents from various towns and villages in eastern and southern Slovakia and segregated Roma settlements in eastern

Summary

Introduction

The WHO (World Health Organization) recently reported that zoonotic parasitic diseases are increasingly influencing human populations due to the effects of globalization, climate change, reduction in animal species and habitat variability [1]. The biggest polluters of the environment are people and their activities. The occurrence of various parasitic species is mainly influenced by climatic conditions and the survival ability of parasitic eggs and (oo)cysts in the outdoor environment. The growing number of people is exacerbating social and economic disparities, leading to an increase in the number of people living on the edge of poverty, lower living standards and segregation, and to deteriorating health and a higher frequency of parasitic infections, especially in areas with the poor hygiene or in areas with insufficient infrastructure. These places largely represent marginalized settlements on the outskirts of towns iations.

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