First Molecular Detection of Giardia duodenalis Assemblage B in a Free-Living European Wildcat (Felis s. silvestris) from Luxembourg

Abstract

Giardia duodenalisis one of the most widespread intestinal parasites of humans and other vertebrates. In terms of public health, identification of Giardia assemblages in wildlife is important because only some assemblages of G. duodenalis can infect humans. Here, we use loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and genotyping of analysis of the β-giardin geneto screen the zoonotic assemblages of G. duodenalis recovered from faeces of free-living European wildcats (Felis s. silvestris) from Luxembourg. Giardia DNA was detected in one animal (10%) and assigned to assemblage B by both methods. This is the first detection and genotyping of G. duodenalis in a European wild felid in general, and of assemblage B in particular. Free-living wildcats may act as reservoirs of G. duodenalis infectious for humans and other wildlife and domestic animals. Using a combination of LAMP- and genotyping-based methods allowed effective, sensitive, and rapid detection of a zoonotic G. duodenalis assemblage B in wildlife.