MOLECULAR TYPING OF Giardia duodenalis ISOLATES FROM NONHUMAN PRIMATES HOUSED IN A BRAZILIAN ZOO

Giardia infections in captive nonhuman primates (NHP) housed at aBrazilian zoo were investigated in order to address their zoonotic potential. Freshfecal samples were collected from the floors of 22 enclosures where 47 primates of 18different species were housed. The diagnosis of intestinal parasites afterconcentration by sedimentation and flotation methods revealed the following parasitesand their frequencies: Giardia (18%); Entamoebaspp. (18%); Endolimax nana (4.5%); Iodamoeba spp.(4.5%); Oxyurid (4.5%) and Strongylid (4.5%). Genomic DNA extracted from all sampleswas processed by PCR methods in order to amplify fragments of gdhand tpi genes of Giardia. Amplicons were obtainedfrom samples of Ateles belzebuth, Alouatta caraya,Alouatta fusca and Alouatta seniculus. Clearsequences were only obtained for the isolates from Ateles belzebuth(BA1), Alouatta fusca (BA2) and Alouatta caraya(BA3). According to the phenetic analyses of these sequences, all were classified asassemblage A. For the tpi gene, all three isolates were grouped intosub-assemblage AII (BA1, BA2 and BA3) whereas for the gdh gene, onlyBA3 was sub-assemblage AII, and the BA1 and BA2 were sub-assemblage AI. Consideringthe zoonotic potential of the assemblage A, and that the animals of the present studyshow no clinical signs of infection, the data obtained here stresses that regularcoproparasitological surveys are necessary to implement preventive measures andsafeguard the health of the captive animals, of their caretakers and of peoplevisiting the zoological gardens.