Human Giardiasis in Malaysia: Correlation between the Presence of Clinical Manifestation and Giardia Intestinalis Assemblage
Anuar, T.Shahrul.; Moktar, N.; Salleh, F.Md.; Al-Mekhlafi, H.M.
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 46(5): 835-843
2015
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-1562 PMID: 26863854 Document Number: 685527
Clinical manifestations of giardiasis vary from asymptomatic infection to chronic diarrhea. A total of 611 stool samples from Aboriginal participants residing in Jelebu, Gerik and Temerloh States, Malaysia, ages 2 to 74 years were screened for Giardia intestinalis using microscopic examination and sequence analysis of a fragment of nested-PCR amplified triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) gene. Demographic data was collected through a structured questionnaire. tpi was successfully amplified from 98/110 samples microscopically positive for G. intestinalis, with 62 and 36 belonging to assemblage A and B, respectively. There is a significant correlation between assemblage A and symptomatic infection only in participants of < 15 years of age. In the other age group, host factors may have more effects on the presence of clinical signs and symptoms than G. intestinalis assemblage types.