2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

All senior veterinary students were provided information concerning this anonymous, elective study by hard copy and email. The students were requested to complete a survey designed to assess risk factors for enteric zoonoses and to supply a personal fecal sample as well as a fecal sample from one dog and one cat if present in the household. Feces were analyzed using microscopic examination for parasite eggs, cysts and oocysts after using Sheather's sugar centrifugation. For detection of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and Giardia spp. cysts a commercially available FA (MERIFLUOR Ò Cryptosporidium/Giardia, Meridian Biosciences) was used. DNA extracted from each fecal sample was assayed for G. duodenalis using PCR assays for the glutamate dehydrogenase, triosephosphate isomerase, and ß-giardin genes. DNA extracted from each human fecal sample was assayed for Cryptosporidium spp. using PCR assays for the 18SrRNA and gp60 genes whereas dog and cat DNA extracts were evaluated by PCR assays for the 18SrRNA and heat shock protein 70 genes.