Differentiation of 'Giardia duodenalis' from Other 'Giardia spp.' by Using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Gene Probes

摘要

Giardia is a waterborne organism that is the most commonly identified pathogenic intestinal protozoan in the United States. Current detection techniques for Giardia in water include microscopy and immunofluorescence techniques. Speciation of the genus Giardia has been based on taxonomic criteria such as cell morphology and host specificity. Classification based on these criteria is inadequate for determining the different species of Giardia. The authors have developed a PCR-gene probe based detection system specific for Giardia, which can discriminate between the human relevant species of the G. duodenalis group and other Giardia species. The method can detect a single Giardia cyst and is therefore, sensitive enough for environmental monitoring.