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Title: FIRST REPORT OF GIARDIA IN COYOTE

Author
item SANTIN, MONICA - VISITING SCIENTIST
item LUDWIG, KRISTIE
item FAYER, RONALD
item TROUT, JAMES

Submitted to: Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2003
Publication Date: 12/1/2003
Citation: Santin, M.D., Ludwig, K.A., Fayer, R., Trout, J.M. 2003. First Report of Giardia in Coyote. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. Vol. 50. p. 709.

Interpretive Summary: Giardia is an intestinal parasite causing gastrointestinal illness in humans and a wide range of animals. Sources of infection for humans and domestic animals are not well understood. Since the coyote population in the eastern U.S. has increased substantially in recent years and because there are no reliable reports of Giardia in the coyote. We tested samples collected during a managed hunt in Pennsylvania. The trophozoite stage of Giardia was identified in one of the animals tested. Molecular analysis of the sample was performed and confirmed the organism to be Giardia. We believe this represents the first definitive report of Giardia in the coyote.

Technical Abstract: Giardia is an intestinal parasite that infects a wide range of vertebrate hosts worldwide. Because there are no previous reports of Giardia in coyotes, their role in the epidemiology of Giardia is unknown. In the present study, we performed a survey to test for Giardia collected during a managed hunt in Pennsylvania. Duodenal scrapings and feces were obtained from each animal. Samples were analyzed for the presence of Giardia by microscopy and molecular analysis. Giardia trophozoites were found in scrapings of the small intestine from one of 22 coyotes examined. Genetic characterization was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and identity was confirmed by sequencing of ß-giardin and 16S rDNA genes. To our knowledge this is the first report of Giardia in the coyote.