Giardiasis: A review on assemblage distribution and epidemiology in India

Abstract

Giardiasis is a significant cause of diarrheal disease and associated morbidity in children and adults worldwide. In addition to diarrhea, it can also lead to malnutrition and cognitive deficits in children from developing countries. Giardia duodenalis is considered to be a species complex of several assemblages, of which assemblage A and B are predominantly associated with human infections. Assemblage type has been associated with risk of occurrence of symptoms and duration of illness. Hence genotyping of giardial isolates may help understand better the epidemiology and transmission ecology of the disease in a particular setting or area. In India, prevalence rates of Giardia infection in patients with diarrhea range from 0.4% to 70%, and asymptomatic cyst passage has been found to be as high as 50% in rural southern India. In this review, the global distribution of giardial assemblage, zoonotic transmission and the association of assemblage with disease have been discussed, followed by epidemiology of giardiasis in India.

Transmission and Epidemiology of Zoonotic Protozoal Diseases of Companion Animals

“…Giardiasis caused 86% of drinking water-associated outbreaks of illness from 1971 to 2006, and outbreaks of more than 1,000 cases have occurred due to contaminated drinking water (72). In South America, rural areas of India, Southeast Asia, and numerous other areas of the world, the incidence of giardiasis may be much higher, with rates of infection ranging from 6% to more than 50% in children under 12 years of age, with a high risk in low-income populations (73)(74)(75)(76)(77)(78).…”

Genotyping of Giardia intestinalis Isolates in the Thrace Region, Turkey

“…Olguların semptomatik ya da asemptomatik olması ile genotipler arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark saptanmamıştır (p= 0.347). Semptom varlığı ile G.intestinalis genotipleri arasındaki ilişkinin araş-tırıldığı bazı çalışmalarda 8,25,26 genotip A'nın; bazı çalışmalarda 9,16,27 ise genotip B'nin, diyare gibi semptomlarla ilişkisi anlamlı olarak bulunmuştur. Bizim çalışmamızın sonuçları ise, semptomlar ile genotipler arasında ilişki saptamayan diğer çalışmalara 24,28,29 benzerlik göstermektedir.…”

The assemblage B of Giardia duodenalis is the most common assemblage in isolates from southeast of Iran

“…It is the most common intestinal protozoan in humans [1]. The incidence of giardiasis is 2%-5% in developed countries and up to 20%-30% in developing countries [2]. Poor sanitary environments, poor water quality control and overcrowding are among factors that contribute to high prevalence of G. duodenalis in developing countries.…”