Axenic cultivation and characterization of Giardia lamblia isolated from humans in Korea

Abstract

Inoculating of human fecal cysts to suckling Mongolian gerbils, two Giardia lamblia isolates, K1 and K2, were established as axenic cultures. Using this in vitro culture, both isolates were characterized as a "medium-rate grower" upon its growth pattern. These two Giardia isolates were grouped by using two genetic analysis. With genetic analysis of SSU-rDNA sequences, both K1 and K2 were found as members of Hopkins' group 1, despite some nucleotide differences noticed in K2 (5 differences/292 bases). The other genetic study used PCR-RFLP of the tim (triose phosphate isomerase) gene. Both of K1 and K2 were found to belong to Nash's group 2. Our results suggest that Nash's group 2 can not be a separate group, but a part of Hopkins' group 1.