J. Parasitol., 93(2), 2007, pp. 426–428 ᭧ American Society of Parasitologists 2007 A Novel Giardia duodenalis Assemblage A Subtype in Fallow Deer M. Lalle, A. Frangipane di Regalbono*, L. Poppi†, G. Nobili‡, D. Tonanzi, E. Pozio, and S. M. Caccio` §, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanita`, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; *Department of Experimental Veterinary Sciences, University of Padua, Viale dell’Universita`, 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy; †Department of Veterinary Public Health, University of Padua, Viale dell’Universita`, 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy; ‡Corpo Forestale dello Stato, Ufficio territoriale per la Biodiversita`, Punta Marina (RA), Italy; §To whom correspondence should addressed. e-mail:
[email protected] ABSTRACT: The molecular identification of species and genotypes of stained samples. Sixteen samples tested positive, and 13 samples were Giardia spp. infecting wild mammals represents the most reliable tool sent to the Istituto Superiore di Sanita` of Rome for further parasitolog- to understand the role played by these animals as reservoirs of cysts ical analyses and for molecular identification. Samples were filtered infectious for human and other animals. Of 139 fecal samples collected through a mesh, washed with phosphate-buffered saline solution, and from fallow deer (Dama dama L.) hunted in a Natural Reserve of north- subjected to centrifugation on 1 M sucrose gradient for 10 min at 800 ern Italy, the prevalence of Giardia sp. was 11.5% (16 of 139 animals), g. After the flotation step, the presence of Giardia spp. cysts was as- and it was higher in fawns than in older animals.