This study may be the first to detect genotype of Giardia among ruminants in South Sinai Governorate.
Fresh iodine-fecal stained smears were examined by microscopy, followed by a nested
PCR on frozen fecal specimens. The results showed Giardia in 40% (78/195) & 28.72%
(56/195) of the examined ruminants by microscopic and nPCR, respectively. In cattle was
(52.94%, 39.2%), in goats (37.5, 25.0%), and in sheep (34.82%, 25.0%). Animals <3 months old
were more Giardia infected than older ones. Giardia infection was high in El Tur City (50%,
35.1%) than in Ras Sudr City (25.9%, 19.8%), and in males (51.3%, 35.5%) than in females
(32.8%, 24.4%). Symptomatic animals were more susceptible to the infection than asymptomatic
ones. Giardia was more prevalent in diarrheic samples than those with soft and hard nature with
significant differences (P<0.05). Nested-PCR of G. intestinalis identified positive β-giardin gene
band of 511 & 753bp. Analysis of five sharp generated fragments in both directions showed sequences
with accession numbers MW925063, MW925066, & MW925067 (Assemblage A) &
MW925064 & MW925065 (Assemblage B). It clustered with some Kenyan and Egyptian isolates
with identity from 93.9% to 100% and genetic distance from 0.0 to 6.5 compared to other
GenBank strains. Genotyping at sub-Assemblage level was essential for zoonotic transmission.