Comparison of the Efficiency of Diagnostic Tests Used to Prove Giardiasis in Terms of their Practicality and Use in the Veterinary Clinical Practice

Giardiasis is a protozoan disease that affects the health of animals, as well as other humans all over the world. Based on its host spectrum and genetic variability, Giardia duodenalis is classified into 8 assemblages (A–H). The present study was aimed at comparing the efficiency of the three most frequently used methods (the flotation method, the SNAP test and the ELISA assay) for the detection of giardiasis in carnivores in terms of the applicability thereof for the scientific purposes and the practicality of their application in the veterinary clinical practice. In the period from March 2020 to February 2022, a total of 173 faecal samples (141 samples collected from shelter dogs; 28 samples from pet dogs; and 6 samples from working dogs) were examined by applying the flotation method. The prevalence of Giardia duodenalis identified by the flotation method was 25 %. The SNAP test conducted with the fresh faecal samples revealed the high-level efficiency of 96 %, whereas the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) achieved the efficiency of 65 %. By applying the nested PCR method, five samples were positively tested for assemblages C and D (G. canis) by the amplification of the bg and tpi loci. The dogs from shelters which were positive for G. duodenalis were also presented with a coinfection caused by other intestinal parasites, such as Trichuris vulpis (28.0 %) and parasites from the Ancylostomatidae family (8.0 %).