Molecular Epidemiological Characterization of Giardia Lamblia in Kirkuk, Iraq

Abstract

Results of laboratory examination of 600 faeces samples fem patients attended to Pediatric Hospital and General Kirkuk Hospital from January 2023 to December 2023 were showed 57 infection cases with Giardia lamblia with 9.5% infection rate. The diagnosis of positive samples was confirmed by PCR. No significant differences were observed in the prevalence of parasite in males 38.6% compared to 29.8% females. The highest infection rate 28.1% were found among age groups (1-5) years whereas the lowest infection rate 10.5% were found at age groups (11-15) years. The infection rate in rural area was 56.1% as compared to 12.3% in urban. The PCR product analysis of glutamate dehydrogenase gene revealed two genotypes (assemblage A and assemblage B) amplified at 264 bp and 460 bp for identifying G.lamblia.