Prevalence of canine giardiasis in the Daejeon and Chungnam area

A total number of 100 fecal samples were examined for the presence of Giardia intestinalis infection in dogs using a Giardia ELISA kit (SNAP® test, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Westbrook, ME). 49 males and 51 females were examined for a G. intestinalis infection in Daejeon and Chungnam area of South Korea. The overall positive rate of G. intestinalis infection was 12.00%. G. intestinalis infection resulted to be more prevalent in males (12.24%) than in females (11.76%), and in symptomatic dogs (18.18%) than in asymptomatic dogs (11.54%). There were no significant differences between the two groups. 19.60% being found in the < 2-year-old group, 4.08% in the over 2 year-old group. X² analysis revealed a significantly higher prevalence (p < 0.05) in the < 2-year-old group than in the other, and a significantly higher prevalence in dogs kept in a shared kennel (36.00%, p < 0.001). This study is the first survey of G. intestinalis infection prevalence in South Korea according to life style (particularly between dogs kept in a shared kennel and that of dogs kept separately) using an ELISA kit, and this study is expected to provide a useful reference for clinicians and breeders.