The epidemiology of Giardia spp. infection among pet dogs in the United States indicates space-time clusters in Colorado

Giardia infection has been found in a wide range of hosts including human, domestic, and wild animals. Dogs are the definitive host of G.duodenalis, which can cause diarrhea and other symptoms. Although zoonotic transmission of Giardia remains unclear, epidemiologic evidence suggests that some Giardia species are zoonotic. Additionally, Giardia has been associated with epidemics in the US and other countries making it one of the most important public health concerns. Prevalence of Giardia among dogs in the United States ranged from 10% in well-treated dogs to 30-50% in puppies and up to 100% in breeding kennels. However, prevalence of Giardia in pet dogs visiting private hospitals in the United States is not well known. Our objective was to estimates Giardia prevalence in US pet dogs visiting private hospitals and its distribution in some urban areas in the State of Colorado