No molecular epidemiological evidence supporting household transmission of zoonotic Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. from pet dogs and cats in the province of Álava, Northern Spain

Lucio, Aida de; Bailo, Begoña; Aguilera, María; Cardona, Guillermo A.; Fernández-Crespo, Juan C.; Carmena, David

doi:10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.02.024

Cited by 86 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Similar to other studies (Santín et al 2006, de Lucio et al 2017, only cat-specific G. intestinalis assemblage F was found in the present study, suggesting that cats do not represent a risk in the transmission of G. intestinalis to humans. The zoonotic potential of feline cryptosporidiosis is considered to be medium and the zoonotic transmission of C. felis between cat and humans in a household has been reported (Beser et al 2015).…”

supporting

confidence: 92%

Stray cats are more frequently infected with zoonotic protists than pet cats

et al. 2017

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Faecal samples were collected from cats kept as pets (n = 120) and stray cats (n = 135) in Central Europe (Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia intestinalis (Kunstler, 1882), Encephalitozoon spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi Desportes, Le Charpentier, Galian, Bernard, Cochand-Priollet, Lavergne, Ravisse et Modigliani, 1985 by PCR analysis of the small-subunit of rRNA (Cryptosporidium spp. and G. intestinalis) and ITS (microsporidia) genes. Sequence analysis of targeted genes revealed the presence of C. felis Iseki, 1979, G. intestinalis assemblage F, E. cuniculi Levaditi, Nicolau et Schoen, 1923 genotype II, and E. bieneusi genotype D. There was no correlation between the occurrence of detected parasites and sex, presence of diarrhoea or drug treatment (drug containing pyrantel and praziquantel). Compared to pet cats (7%), stray cats (30%) were statistically more frequently infected with protist parasites and overall may present a greater risk to human health.

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supporting

confidence: 92%

Stray cats are more frequently infected with zoonotic protists than pet cats

et al. 2017

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“…Based on our data and that of other studies, we conclude that the overall impact of zoonotic transmission from small animals (dogs, cats) to/from humans is probably negligible, but cannot be generally excluded (de Lucio et al, ). Previous studies have also highlighted that low cyst shedding rate of pets reduces the infection risk of humans (Bouzid, Halai, Jeffreys, & Hunter, ) and that other infection sources like travelling abroad or consumption of human faecal matter contaminated water are more relevant risk factors (Cook et al, ; Espelage, an der Heiden, Stark, & Alpers, ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

“…Another Italian study confirmed the possible zoonotic potential for small animals, but without analysing the faeces of animals and humans living in the same household (Lalle et al, ). In contrast to these findings, a study, conducted in Northern Spain, concluded no zoonotic risk of humans whose animals are infected with Giardia (de Lucio et al, ). Other non‐European investigations seem to confirm this observation (Berrilli et al, ; Traub et al, ; Volotaoet al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Giardia duodenalis in small animals and their owners in Germany: A pilot study

Rehbein

Klotz

Ignatius

et al. 2018

Zoonoses and Public Health

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Giardia duodenalis is a relevant gastrointestinal protozoan pathogen of humans and animals. This species complex consists of eight genetically different assemblages. Assemblages A and B are pathogenic to humans and pets, thus confer zoonotic potential. The risk of zoonotic transmission has been controversially discussed. The aim of this monocentric cross‐sectional pilot study was to investigate G. duodenalis assemblages in humans and pets living in common households in Berlin/Brandenburg (Germany). Samples from dogs, cats and humans sharing the same households were screened for Giardia infection by antigen‐detecting assays. All human samples were additionally analysed by a Giardia‐specific qPCR. Cyst quantification and sequences of different gene loci (triosephosphate isomerase (tpi), glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), β‐giardin (bg) and for dogs SSUrDNA) were analysed. A total of 38 households (31 households with dogs and seven with cats) with 69 human individuals participated in the study. Initial antigen‐detecting assays revealed Giardia‐positive results for 13 (39%) canine, one (14%) feline and one human sample. Reanalysis of the human samples by qPCR revealed two more positive specimens (4%). Two of these three samples were identified as assemblage B at all tested loci. Success rate of assemblage typing for pet samples was generally low and comprised mainly the SSUrDNA locus only. Overall, six of 13 Giardia‐positive canine samples were typable (2× A, 1× co‐infection: A and B, 1× C; 2× D). One pair of samples (dog and human) from the same household had a similar but not identical assemblage B sequence at tpi locus. Assemblage A was also detected in the dog specimen, which hampered sequence analysis. In conclusion, although exhibiting limitations due to the sample size, our study highlights the need for better and standardized typing tools to distinguish G. duodenalis strains with higher resolution in order to perform proper case–control studies for a realistic estimation of zoonotic risk.

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“…It is also well-stablished that a marked host distribution exists within assemblage A, with human isolates belonging to sub-assemblages AI and AII and animal isolates belonging to AI and AIII [8,52]. This fact, together with the absence of animal-specific assemblages C-F strongly suggest that transmission of human giardiosis in La Rioja must be predominantly anthroponotic in origin, as previously proposed in other Spanish regions [19,53]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Molecular diversity and frequency of the diarrheagenic enteric protozoan Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in a hospital setting in Northern Spain

et al. 2017

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BackgroundHuman giardiosis and cryptosporidiosis are caused by the enteric protozoan parasites Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. Both pathogens are major contributors to the global burden of diarrhoeal disease, affecting primarily children and immunodebilitated individuals in resource-poor settings. Giardiosis and cryptosporidiosis also represent an important, often underestimate, public health threat in developed countries. In Spain only limited information is currently available on the epidemiology of these infections. Molecular data on the diversity, frequency, geographical distribution, and seasonality of G. duodenalis assemblages/sub-assemblages and Cryptosporidium species/sub-genotypes are particularly scarce.MethodsA longitudinal molecular epidemiological survey was conducted between July 2015 to September 2016 in patients referred to or attended at the Hospital San Pedro (La Rioja, Northern Spain) that tested positive for G. duodenalis (N = 106) or Cryptosporidium spp. (N = 103) by direct microscopy and/or a rapid lateral flow immunochromatographic assay. G. duodenalis infections were subsequently confirmed by real-time PCR and positive isolates assessed by multi-locus sequence genotyping of the glutamate dehydrogenase and β-giardin genes of the parasite. Cryptosporidium species and sub-genotypes were investigated at the 60 kDa glycoprotein or the small subunit ribosomal RNA genes of the parasite. Sociodemographic and clinical parameters of infected patients were also gathered and analysed.Principal findingsOut of 90 G. duodenalis-positive isolates by real-time PCR a total of 16 isolates were successfully typed. AII (44%, 7/16) was the most prevalent sub-assemblage found, followed by BIV (31%, 5/16) and BIII (19%, 3/16). A discordant genotype result AII/AIII was identified in an additional (6%, 1/16) isolate. No mixed infections A+B were detected. Similarly, a total of 81 Cryptosporidium spp. isolates were successfully typed, revealing the presence of C. hominis (81%, 66/81) and C. parvum (19%, 15/81). Obtained GP60 sequences were assigned to sub-type families Ib (73%, 59/81) within C. hominis, and IIa (7%, 6/81) and IId (2%, 2/81) within C. parvum. A marked inter-annual variation in Cryptosporidium cases was observed.ConclusionsHuman giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis are commonly identified in patients seeking medical care in Northern Spain and represent a more important health concern than initially thought. Assemblage A within G. duodenalis and sub-genotype IbA10G2 within C. hominis were the genetic variants of these parasite species more frequently found circulating in the population under study. Molecular data presented here seem to suggest that G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium infections arise through anthroponotic rather than zoonotic transmission in this Spanish region.

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No molecular epidemiological evidence supporting household transmission of zoonotic Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. from pet dogs and cats in the province of Álava, Northern Spain

Cited by 86 publications

References 39 publications

Stray cats are more frequently infected with zoonotic protists than pet cats

Stray cats are more frequently infected with zoonotic protists than pet cats

Giardia duodenalis in small animals and their owners in Germany: A pilot study

Molecular diversity and frequency of the diarrheagenic enteric protozoan Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in a hospital setting in Northern Spain

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