%0 Journal Article %9 journal article %J Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine %@ 1232-1966 %V 22 %N 4 %D 2015 %F Stojecki2015 %T Epidemiological survey in Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lake District of eastern Poland reveals new evidence of zoonotic potential of Giardia intestinalis %X Faecal samples from 297 farm animals were collected from 18 households in distinct sites of the Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lake District of eastern Poland. They included samples from 86 cattle ( Bos taurus ), 84 pigs ( Sus scrofa f. domestica ), 81 sheep ( Ovis aries ), 10 horses ( Equus caballus ), and 36 dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris ). The samples were examined for the presence of Giardia intestinalis by the Direct Fluorescence Assay (DFA) and semi-nested PCR. All amplicons were sequenced on both strands. By DFA, cysts of Giardia spp. were detected in 66 of 297 faecal samples (22.2%). Positive specimens for Giardia spp. were derived from 29.8% of examined pigs, 21.0% of sheep, 18.6% of cattle, 10% of horses, and 19.4% of dogs. Based on the detection of the β-giardin gene by PCR, 39 (13.1%) of the 297 examined samples were recognized as positive. Detection of the presence of Giardia cysts by DFA test was overall significantly higher compared to PCR (p=0.0045). By PCR, Giardia was found in 28.1% of sheep, 11.6% of cattle, 10% of horses, 9.5% of pigs and 5.6% of dogs. Partial β-giardin gene sequences were obtained for 73.7% of the PCR positive samples. From sequenced samples derived from the studied animals, Giardia were identified as assemblage A (8 samples), B (1 sample) and E (18 samples). As assemblages A and B may be zoonotic, the farm animals living in eastern Poland could be regarded as a potential source of Giardia infection for humans. %A Stojecki, Krzysztof %A Sroka, Jacek %A Cencek, Tomasz %A Dutkiewicz, Jacek %P 594-598 %R 10.5604/12321966.1185759 %U https://doi.org/10.5604/12321966.1185759