Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis in Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

Abstract

Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis infect the gastrointestinal tracts of animals and humans. Both parasite groups are distributed worldwide and cause significant economic losses in animal productivity. Infected hosts presenting with and without clinical manifestations can eliminate infective forms of these protozoa, which are particularly important to One Health. Compared to the published research on cattle, relatively few studies have examined the epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in buffaloes. This short review describes the global occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in buffaloes, including the molecular techniques employed for the identification of species/assemblages and genotypes of these protozoa. Genetic analyses of isolates of G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. from various sources (environmental, animal, and human) have been performed to investigate their epidemiology. In buffaloes, the species Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium ryanae, Cryptosporidium bovis , and Cryptosporidium suis -like have been characterized, as well as assemblages A and E of G. duodenalis . We demonstrate that buffaloes can be infected by species of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis assemblages with zoonotic potential. Epidemiological studies that utilize molecular biology techniques represent an important resource for efforts to control and prevent the spread of these protozoans.

In Vitro Evaluation of Ozonated Water Treatment on the Viability of Eimeria Oocysts and Giardia Cysts from Water Buffaloes: A Proof-of-Concept Study

“…Eimeria spp. and G. duodenalis are still common and widespread GI parasites in water buffalo farms in different parts of the world [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 59 , 60 ]. In the Mediterranean area, Eimeria spp.…”

“…is still the most prevalent protozoa, with an overall rate of 81.5%, according to Morgoglione et al [ 61 ]; whilst G. duodenalis was present in buffalo farms in central and southern Italy, with a rate of 30% and 18%, respectively [ 9 , 61 ]. Giardia is present in buffalo farms with a wide range of prevalence, from 0.7% to 40.9% worldwide [ 5 ]. Furthermore, molecular investigations of G. duodenalis isolates revealed the presence of zoonotic parasites ( G. duodenalis assemblage A) and host-specific parasites ( G. duodenalis assemblage E), indicating that water buffaloes can have a major impact on environmental contamination, and with cysts potentially infectious to humans if their feces are not properly disposed of [ 10 ].…”

“…Dairy water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) farming plays an important role in the economy of several countries, including Italy, as their milk is almost exclusively used for the production of-mozzarella-cheese [ 1 , 2 ]. In intensive farming systems, the infection of water buffaloes with intestinal protozoa, such as Giardia and Eimeria , threatens the profitability and sustainability of milk production [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. These parasites are the leading cause of neonatal diarrhea, with negative impacts on the growth performance of buffalo calves, resulting in economic losses [ 6 , 7 ].…”

Association of Common Zoonotic Pathogens With Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

“…This is also mostly the case with other bovine animals such as yaks and water buffaloes (Martins et al, 2018;Ren et al, 2019;Wu et al, 2020). C. ryanae is especially common in water buffaloes (de Aquino et al, 2020;Russell et al, 2020).…”

Eukaryotic Infections in Dairy Calves: Impacts, Diagnosis, and Strategies for Prevention and Control

“…Diagnosis of Giardia infections in dairy calves can be challenging, as the parasite is not always detectable in fecal samples and may require multiple sampling and testing methods. 79 According to a study by, 80 microscopy and immunological assays are the most commonly used diagnostic methods, although PCR-based techniques are becoming increasingly popular due to their high sensitivity and specificity in calve.…”