An Argonaute homolog and a functional Dicer have been identified in the ancient eukaryote Giardia lamblia, which apparently lacks the ability to perform RNA interference (RNAi). The Giardia Argonaute plays an essential role in growth and is capable of binding specifically to the m(7)G-cap, suggesting a potential involvement in microRNA (miRNA)-mediated translational repression. To test such a p...

In this study total of 266 fecal samples from 242 animals belonging to 113 species kept in the Poznan Zoological Garden were examined for Giardia. The cysts of Giardia were found only in five samples of feces collected from a giant toad (Bufo marinus), tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) and three individuals of cactus mouse (Peromyscus eremicus). Fragments of beta-giardin (bg), triose phosphate i...

A survey on the presence of Cryptosporidium oocyst and Giardia cyst in livestock drinking water as well as the urban tap water throughout Taiwan was carried out. Water examination for the presence of the protozoa was conducted by filtering through a PTFE membrane followed by immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and immunostaining the sediment with commercially available monoclonal antibody against C...

Little is known of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia parasites in sheep and the genotypes that they harbor, although potentially sheep may contribute significantly to contamination of watersheds. In the present study, conducted in Western Australia, a total of 1,647 sheep fecal samples were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp. using microscopy, and a subset ...

This study describes the in vivo activity of Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 (NCC533) in Giardia intestinalis-infected gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Daily administration of lactobacilli in the drinking water from 7 days before inoculation with Giardia trophozoites efficiently prevented G. intestinalis strain WB clone C6 from infecting gerbils. More specifically, shedding of fecal Giardia antigen...

Giardia and Cryptosporidium have emerged as waterborne pathogens of concern. Thirty-one water samples were collected from nine potable water treatment plants in Taiwan and investigated for the presence of Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts. The immunofluorescence assay was used for the simultaneous detection of cysts and oocysts. The frequency of occurrence of cysts was 77.8% for Giardia...

Filter-feeding molluscan shellfish can concentrate zoonotic and anthroponotic waterborne pathogens. Cysts of Giardia sp. were detected by immunofluorescent antibodies in tissues of the clams Macoma balthica and M. mitchelli from Rhode River, a Chesapeake Bay (Maryland) subestuary. Molecular tests identified the cysts as Giardia duodenalis Genotype A, the most common genotype recovered from huma...

Fecal samples were collected from hunter-killed white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) during a managed hunt in a central Maryland county. Fecal samples were cleaned of debris and concentrated by CsCl density gradient centrifugation and stained with MerIFluor reagents. Stained samples were examined by fluorescent microscopy for the presence of Giardia sp. cysts. One of 26 samples was found ...

We studied the ability of the probiotic organism Enterococcus faecium SF68 to antagonize Giardia intestinalis infection in mice. Oral feeding of E. faecium strain SF68 starting 7 d before inoculation with Giardia trophozoites significantly increased the production of specific anti-Giardia intestinal IgA and blood IgG. This humoral response was mirrored at the cellular level by an increased perc...

Giardia intestinalis is a parasitic protozoan that causes diarrhea and abdominal pain in humans. Studies of the Giardia genotypes are thought to be important for understanding their infection routes and prevalence. However, few have reported pathogen genotyping in human giardiasis cases in Japan. In this study, we genotyped G. intestinalis by using DNA extracted from chlorazol black E-stained f...