Prevalence and Multilocus Genotyping of Giardia lamblia in Cattle in Jiangxi Province, China: Novel Assemblage E Subtypes Identified

Abstract

<i>Giardia lamblia</i> is a common enteric pathogen associated with diarrheal diseases. There are some reports of <i>G. lamblia</i> infection among different breeds of cattle in recent years worldwide. However, it is yet to know whether cattle in Jiangxi province, southeastern China is infected with <i>G. lamblia</i>. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the prevalence and examine the multilocus genotypes of <i>G. lamblia</i> in cattle in Jiangxi province. A total of 556 fecal samples were collected from 3 cattle breeds (dairy cattle, beef cattle, and buffalo) in Jiangxi province, and the prevalence and genotypes of <i>G. lamblia</i> were determined by the nested PCR amplification of the beta-giardin (<i>bg</i>) gene. A total of 52 samples (9.2%) were positive for <i>G. lamblia</i>. The highest prevalence of <i>G. lamblia</i> was detected in dairy cattle (20.0%), followed by that in beef cattle (6.4%), and meat buffalo (0.9%). Multilocus sequence typing of <i>G. lamblia</i> was performed based on sequences of the <i>bg</i>, triose phosphate isomerase and glutamate dehydrogenase loci, and 22, 42, and 52 samples were amplifiable, respectively, forming 15 MLGs. Moreover, one mixed <i>G. lamblia</i> infection (assemblages A and E) was found in the present study. Altogether, 6 novel assemblage E subtypes (E41*-E46*) were identified for the first time. These results not only provided baseline data for the control of <i>G. lamblia</i> infection in cattle in this southeastern province of China, but also enriched the molecular epidemiological data and genetic diversity of <i>G. lamblia</i> in cattle.