DIAGNOSIS AND RISK FACTORS OF CANINE GIARDIOSIS
Abstract
Giardia duodenalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite responsible for one of the most prevalent intestinal parasitic infections in dogs. Although most cases are asymptomatic, the parasite poses a significant public health concern due to its potential for zoonotic transmission. In certain contexts, such as canine communities, direct diagnostic methods may offer a cost-effective alternative to coproantigen-based diagnostic tests.
This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of a direct diagnostic method applied to fresh fecal samples at two time points post-collection. Additionally, it sought to identify key risk factors for infection and assess the effectiveness of prior treatments. Fecal samples were collected from 37 dogs housed at the Zoonosis Center of the Municipality of Murcia. Giardia infection was assessed using direct examination of fresh samples at the time of collection (T0) and 1–2 hours later (T1), with results compared to a rapid coproantigen diagnostic test, which served as the gold standard.
At T0, the prevalence of giardiasis was 51.35%, which decreased to 37.84% at T1. The sensitivity of the fresh diagnostic method, relative to the coproantigen test, was 72%. Descriptive analysis was performed to explore risk factors and associations, and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was conducted to examine relationships among variables.
In conclusion, this study demonstrates that direct diagnostic methods exhibit high sensitivity when performed on fresh samples. Age emerged as the primary biotic risk factor, while the duration of stay at the center was identified as the most significant abiotic risk factor for parasite shedding. Notably, the limited effectiveness of treatments in preventing relapses underscores the challenges in managing giardiasis within canine communities.
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