Giardia intestinalis is one of the most common food-borne protozoa. The sensitivity of pathogens to physical and chemical factors is the basis for developing measures to reduce the incidence of the population. Several methods are available to detect the presence of G. intestinalis. The study determines the influence of 22 selected factors on the survival assessment and detection of G. intestinalis DNA in trophozoites axenically cultured. The influence of a given factor on the test result was observed in the case of 17 factors (77.3%) in the microscopic method, while only in the case of 3 (13.6%) substances in the real-time PCR method. Prevention of G. intestinalis infections, e.g., by ensuring food and water safety, is a crucial issue affecting public health. The experiment was conducted on trophozoites as the first approach. It is necessary to continue research and observe the epidemiological situation. In future studies, the impact of the studied factors on the survival assessment and detection of Giardia intestinalis DNA in axenically cultured cysts should be determined.
Keywords: Giardia intestinalis; microscopic method; real-time PCR method.