FIRST RECORD OF GIARDIA IN CATTLE IN DENMARK

Faecal samples from asymptomatic dairy cows and calves from a farm on the Island Falster, Denmark, were examined by a sucrose gradient flota tion technique. Giardia cysts were found in 7.6% of the 92 samples, an d estimated cyst excretion rates ranged from 50-200 cysts per gram fae ces. Given that Giardia has the potential to cause clinical disease in cattle and to be transmitted to other animal species and humans, find ing the parasite in cattle may be of major epidemiological significanc e. Future work should focus on elucidating the pathogenicity, transmis sion patterns and the genetic structure of Giardia populations in catt le in Denmark.