Molecular diversity and frequency of the diarrheagenic enteric protozoan Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in a hospital setting in Northern Spain

Abstract

Human giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis are commonly identified in patients seeking medical care in Northern Spain and represent a more important health concern than initially thought. Assemblage A within G. duodenalis and sub-genotype IbA10G2 within C. hominis were the genetic variants of these parasite species more frequently found circulating in the population under study. Molecular data presented here seem to suggest that G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium infections arise through anthroponotic rather than zoonotic transmission in this Spanish region.