Gasparinho, CarolinaFerreira, Filipa S.Mayer, António CarlosMirante, Maria ClaraVaz Nery, SusanaSantos-Reis, AnaPortugal-Calisto, DanielaBrito, Miguel2018-03-012018-03-012017-11Gasparinho C, Ferreira FS, Mayer AC, Mirante MC, Vaz Nery S, Brito M, et al. Molecular characterization of Giardia lamblia in children less than 5 years of age with diarrhoea attending the Bengo General Hospital, Angola. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2017;111(11):497-503.http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/8178Introduction - Giardia lamblia is a pathogenic intestinal protozoan with high prevalence in developing countries, especially among children. Molecular characterization has revealed the existence of eight assemblages, with A and B being more commonly described in human infections. Despite its importance, to our knowledge, this is the first published molecular analysis of G. lamblia assemblages in Angola. Methods - The present study aimed to identify the assemblages of G. lamblia in children with acute diarrhoea presenting at the Bengo General Hospital, Angola. A stool sample was collected and microscopy and immunochromatographic tests were used. DNA was extracted and assemblage determination was performed through amplification of the gene fragment ssu-rRNA (175 bp) and β-giardin (511 bp) through polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. Results - Of the 16 stool samples screened, 12 were successfully sequenced. Eleven isolates were assigned to assemblage B and one to assemblage A. Subassemblage determination was not possible for assemblage B, while the single isolate assigned to assemblage A was identified as belonging to subassemblage A3. Conclusion - This study provides information about G. lamblia assemblages in Bengo Province, Angola and may contribute as a first step in understanding the molecular epidemiology of this protozoan in the country. GenBank accession numbers for the ssur-RNA gene: MF479750, MF479751, MF479752, MF479753, MF479754, MF479755, MF479756, MF479757, MF479758, MF479759, MF479760, MF479761. GenBank accession numbers for the β-giardin gene: MF565378, MF565379, MF565380, MF565381.engGenotypingGiardia lambliaChildrenDiarrhoeaHospitalAngolaProvíncia do Bengojournal article10.1093/trstmh/try004