Giardia duodenalis (Giardia lambia, Giardia intestinalis), a flagellated parasite, is a gastrointestinal pathogen that affects public health worldwide. There are limited studies on the epidemiology and molecular characterization of G. duodenalis in farm animals in Turkey. Molecular characterization is requited to determine the zoonotic potential of Giardia infection. In the present study, 71 calf 50 lamb, and 66 fecal stool samples were obtained from the animal rectum using a disposable latex glove and the samples were transferred to the laboratory. Then, the presence of cysts was examined with a microscope using of saturated zinc sulfate flotation method (ZnSO4; 33%). Afterwards, the samples were scanned with ELISA-based rapid diagnostic test kits for diagnosis. Then, DNA was extracted with QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit (Qiagen, Germany). Nested PCR was then conducted with the corresponding primers. DNA sequence analysis was conducted on beta-giardin gene region of each PCR positive samples. Then, sequence analyses were blasted and compared with the access numbers in the gene bank (M36728 for sub-genotype A1, AY072723 for sub-genotype A2, for AY072724 sub-genotype A3, AY072725 for sub-genotype A3, AY072725 for sub-genotype B1, AY072726 for sub-genotype B2, AY072727 for sub-genotype B3, AY072728 for sub-genotype B4). In the microscopic examination, Giardia cysts were identified in 41 calves, 41 lambs, and 23 goats. Positivity was determined with rapid test kits in 38 calves, 16 lambs, and 26 goats. In nested PCR results, specific bands (511 bp) were obtained in 46 calves, 21 lambs and 24 goats. Sequencing findings demonstrated Assemblage A and subgenotype A3 presence in all animal samples. The importance of treatment and the need to take protective measures due to its zoonotic importance were emphasized.

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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis among dogs in Aydin, Turkey. A total of 473 faecal samples from dogs were collected. The overall prevalence of G. duodenalis was 18.8%. Higher infection rates were observed in dogs younger than three months old, from shelters, and with diarrhoea. Faecal samples of 89 dogs, diagnosed Giardia-positive by microscopy, were found positive by nested PCR. The β-giardin nested PCR assay revealed assemblage B in all samples (100%), whereas 38 of the samples were mixed with assemblage A (42%). Sequence analysis of isolates indicated sub-genotypes A3 and B4 which have been previously detected in human isolates from Turkey. The results of the present study indicated the relatively high prevalence of giardiasis and the presence of the zoonotic sub-genotypes suggesting the important role of dogs as potential reservoirs of human infections.

It is important to know the age of clot formation to determine an appropriate treatment for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The present study aims to differentiate between acute and subacute DVT using the shear wave elastography (SWE) technique. Patients with complaints no longer than 4 weeks and who were found to have early-stage (acutesubacute) thrombus on ultrasound (US) between January 2020 and May 2020 were included in the study. All of the patients underwent SWE using a Philips Healthcare EPIQ 5 Ultrasound System Inc. device with a high-resolution linear US probe (eL18-4, 22-2 MHz). Included in the study were 50 patients, including 23 with acute DVT and 27 with subacute DVT. Of the patients, 22 were women and 28 were men, and the mean age was 46.32 ± 11.33 years (range: 24-74 years). The mean SWE value was 2.63± 0.16 (2.39-2.96) in patients with acute DVT and 3.34± 0.31 (2.65-3.88) in patients with subacute DVT. The findings were statistically significant in the comparison of the 2 groups using an independent samples t test (P < 0.001). In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve was found to be 97.6%. When the cutoff value was taken as 2.85 according to the area under the curve, sensitivity was found to be 96.3%, and specificity was 91.3%. Thrombus stage plays a critical role in treatment decisions in DVT in the lower extremities. The present study reveals that the shear wave US elastography technique can be used to discriminate between acute and subacute DVT.

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