Within a significant genetic divers

ity consisting of 7 genotypes of

Giardia intestinalis

; assem-

blage A and B genotypes have been suggested to ha

ve different host specificities and variable path-

ogenicity in humans. Assemblages are highly variable

with regard to the genetic features of each

genotype. A total of 89 fecal samples were collect

ed from patients who sought medical consultation

for abdominal pain in the West Bank, Palestine.

Giardia

positive samples

were assessed microscop-

ically and where genotyped to assemblage level

by direct sequencing and subcloning for both

triosephosphate isomerase and

β

-giardin gene markers.

G. intestinalis

were detected in 12 samples;

9 samples were belonging to assemblage A and 3 samples were belonging to assemblage B. A sin-

gle genotype was identified from all assemblage A samples, whereas 2 to 4 subgenotypes were con-

firmed in each of assemblage B samples. No mi

xed genotypes (inter-assemblages) were found in

any sample. This study revealed the contrasting

genetic diversity that supports the separate-species

notion for assemblage A and B genotypes; it also hi

ghlights the need to investigate assemblage B

genotype more thoroughly, as has been the case for assemblage A genotype.