Molecular analysis of Giardia duodenalis isolates from symptomatic and asymptomatic children from La Habana, Cuba

Giardiasis is considered the most common intestinal parasitic disease in humans worldwide. In Cuba, this infection has particularly a strong clinical impact on the child population. Giardia duodenalis is a highly diverse protozoan, which comprises a complex of eight morphologically identical genetic assemblages, further divided into sub-assemblages. The present study used triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) and small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes as genetic markers for the identification of G. duodenalis assemblages and sub-assemblages in correlation with clinical and epidemiological data in children attended at the Paediatric Hospital “William Soler” and at Pedro Kouri Institute, between 2015 and 2016. A prevalence of 8% of G. duodenalis infection was recorded in stool samples after concentration techniques from 68 children out of 847 analysed. A 100% detection of Giardia DNA was achieved by a SSU-rRNA PCR, whereas DNA from 63 of 68 (92.6%) was successfully amplified by tpi-PCR. By this assemblage-specific tpi-PCR 32 (50.8%) assemblage B, 17 (27.0%) assemblage A and 14 (22.2%) mixed infection (A + B) were identified. Assemblage B was significantly (P