Amanda R. Johnston|Thomas R. Gillespie|Innocent B. Rwego|Traci L. Tranby McLachlan|Angela D. Kent|Tony L. Goldberg
Molecular Epidemiology of Cross-Species Giardia duodenalis Transmission in Western Uganda
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|Emory University|Makerere University|University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|Illinois Department of Natural Resources|University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|University of Wisconsin Health|Center for Global Health|University of Wisconsin–Madison|Makerere University
background giardia duodenalis prevalent tropical settings diverse opportunities exist transmission people animals conducted crosssectional study g duodenalis people livestock wild primates near kibale national park uganda humanlivestockwildlife interaction high due habitat disturbance goal infer crossspecies transmission potential g duodenalis using molecular methods investigate clinical consequences infection methodologyprincipal findings realtime pcr dna extracted fecal samples revealed combined prevalence g duodenalis people three villages 44108 407 prevalence reaching 675 one village prevalence rates livestock primates 124 111 respectively age associated g duodenalis infection people higher prevalence individuals 15 years livestock higher prevalence subadult versus adult animals potential risk factors people gender contact domestic animals working fields working forests source drinking water medication use g duodenalis infection associated gastrointestinal symptoms people clinical disease noted livestock primates sequence analysis four g duodenalis genes identified assemblage aii humans assemblage biv humans endangered red colobus monkeys assemblage e livestock red colobus representing first documentation assemblage e nonhuman primate addition genetic relationships within biv assemblage revealed subclades identical g duodenalis sequences humans red colobus conclusionssignificance finding g duodenalis people primates assemblage biv livestock primates assemblage e underscores crossspecies transmission multiple g duodenalis assemblages may occur locations western uganda people livestock primates overlap use habitat data also demonstrate high locally variable prevalence g duodenalis people western uganda little evidence associated clinical disease reverse zoonotic g duodenalis transmission may particularly frequent tropical settings anthropogenic habitat disturbance forces people livestock interact high rates wildlife could negative consequences wildlife conservation