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

Abstract

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.

Occurrence, risk factors and genotypes of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in dogs and cats in Guangzhou, southern China: high genotype diversity and zoonotic concern

“…Our sequencing data analysis revealed the presence of three known genotypes: D, EbpC and Type IV. This is in concordance with observations from some earlier studies in Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Thailand, Colombia, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia and China [7,8,12,15,16,20,21,23,[26][27][28]. Genotypes D, EbpC, and Type IV are known to have a broad-host range and have been reported in nonhuman primates, dogs, cats and domestic animals, and even in wastewater [12,15,[29][30][31].…”

“…A high degree of genetic diversity in E. bieneusi was observed in dogs (PtEb IX, GD1 to GD6, D, CD9, EbpC, I) and cats (PtEb IX, GD1 to GD2, D, CD9, EbpC, Type IV, GC1) in the present study; these findings show similarity with some studies in Heilongjiang, Henan and Anhui provinces, China [12,14,15]. In contrast, low genetic heterogeneity in E. bieneusi was observed in dogs and cats in other studies with only genotypes PtEb IX and D found in dogs and genotypes Type IV and D in cats in Shanghai city, China [16], only one genotype, PtEb IX, in dogs in Japan [24], and one genotype, D, in cats in Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic [21]. As with most previous reports [10,12,[14][15][16]24], we identified genotype PtEbIX as dominant in dogs and cats.…”

“…Infections with E. bieneusi in dogs and cats have been reported in Spain, Brazil, China, Colombia, Germany, Japan, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey, Iran, the Czech Republic, Egypt, and Thailand, where they range from 0% to 25.8% in dogs and from 1.4% to 31.3% in cats [7,9,[14][15][16][18][19][20][21][22][23]. In the present study, 149 dogs (22.9%) and 79 cats (20.3%) were E. bieneusi-positive by nested PCRbased sequencing of the ITS region, a somewhat higher rate than those reported in most previous studies.…”

Occurrence, risk factors and genotypes of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in dogs and cats in Guangzhou, southern China: high genotype diversity and zoonotic concern

“…A high degree of genetic diversity in E. bieneusi was observed in dogs (PtEb IX, GD1 to GD6, D, CD9, EbpC, I) and cats (PtEb IX, GD1 to GD2, D, CD9, EbpC, Type IV, GC1) in the present study; these ndings show similarity with some studies in Heilongjiang, Henan and Anhui provinces, China [12,14,15]. In contrast, low genetic heterogeneity in E. bieneusi was observed in dogs and cats in other studies with only genotypes PtEb IX and D found in dogs and genotypes Type IV and D in cats in Shanghai city, China [16], only one genotype, PtEb IX, in dogs in Japan [24], and one genotype, D, in cats in Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic [21]. As with most previous reports [10,12,[14][15][16]24], we identi ed genotype PtEbIX as dominant in dogs and cats.…”

“…Infections with E. bieneusi in dogs and cats have been reported in Spain, Brazil, China, Colombia, Germany, Japan, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey, Iran, the Czech Republic, Egypt, and Thailand, where they range from 0% to 25.8% in dogs and from 1.4% to 31.3% in cats [7,9,[14][15][16][18][19][20][21][22][23]. In the present study, 149 dogs (22.9%) and 79 cats (20.3%) were E. bieneusi-positive by nested PCR-based sequencing of the ITS region, a somewhat higher rate than those reported in most previous studies.…”