Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhoea in neonatal calves in Algeria

Abstract

A B S T R A C TNeonatal calf diarrhoea triggered by the enteric protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in calves aged 1-month-old or younger globally. Infected cattle in general and calves in particular have also been demonstrated as major contributors of zoonotic C. parvum oocysts in the environment and have been linked to a number of waterborne outbreaks of human cryptosporidiosis. Little is known on the occurrence, geographical distribution, and molecular diversity of Cryptosporidium infections affecting bovine populations in Algeria. In this study faecal specimens were randomly collected from 460 cattle aged between two days and 18 months on 10 farms located in the provinces of Aïn Defla, Blida, Sétif, and Tizi Ouzou between the autumn of 2015 and the spring of 2016. Faecal samples were microscopically examined using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast technique as screening method. Microscopy-positive samples were confirmed by a commercial coproantigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Bio-X Diagnostics). The identification of Cryptosporidium species and sub-genotypes in confirmed samples was conducted by PCR and sequence analyses of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssu rRNA) and the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) genes of the parasite. Overall, 52.2% (240/460) of the investigated cattle tested positive to Cryptosporidium by microscopy. The infection was widespread in all 10 farms surveyed, but was significantly more prevalent in those from Blida in the central part of the country. Bovine cryptosporidiosis affected cattle of all age groups but with different outcomes. Pre-weaned (up to one month old) calves typically presented with diarrhoea, whereas older animals mostly harboured subclinical infections. The commercial ELISA used only detected 15.8% (38/240) of the samples that previously tested positive by microscopy, demonstrating a poor performance in field epidemiological surveys. Sequence analysis of the 29 isolates generated at the ssu rRNA loci confirmed the presence of four Cryptosporidium species including C. parvum (72.4%), C. bovis (13.8%), C. andersoni, (3.4%), and C. ryanae (3.4%). Two additional isolates (7.0%) could only be identified at the genus level. Eight out of the 21 isolates assigned to C. parvum were identified as sub-genotype IIaA16G2R1 at the gp60 locus. C. parvum was almost exclusively found infecting preweaned calves, whereas C. ryanae and C. andersoni were only detected in asymptomatic animals. Bovine cryptosporidiosis is highly endemic in the surveyed area and represents a veterinary public health concern that should be adequately tackled by Algerian veterinary health authorities and policy makers.

Molecular characterization of zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis pathogens in Algerian sheep

“…However very little is known about which specific Cryptosporidium species/subtypes infect small ruminants in Algeria. Thus far, only a few studies have characterized Cryptosporidium at a molecular level in calves (Baroudi et al, 2017;Benhouda et al, 2017;Ouakli et al, 2018), and only one recent molecular Cryptosporidium study on sheep isolates exists (Baroudi et al, 2018). On the other hand, Giardia duodenalis is known to infect numerous mammalian species and consists of at least eight distinct genetic groups or assemblages (A to H), often with different host specificities: assemblage A and B in humans, primates and other mammals; assemblage C and D in dogs and other canids; assemblage E in hoofed livestock; assemblage F in cats; assemblage G in rodents; and assemblage H has been reported in seals and a gull (Ballweber et al, 2010;Ryan and Cacciò, 2013).…”

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium in calves from rural settlements in the Northwest region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil

“…Our study represents the first identification of C. felis in calves in the Americas (BORNAY-LLINARES et al, 1999, CARDONA et al, 2015KVÁČ et al, 2016). Although several Cryptosporidium species have been reported in cattle using molecular techniques (OUAKLI et al, 2018), C. felis has been identified only twice in cattle in Europe (BORNAY-LLINARES et al, 1999, CARDONA et al al., 2015, and in America, with our finding. In Poland (BORNAY-LLINARES et al, 1999) and in Spain (CARDONA et al, 2015), C. felis was observed in adult cows with the use of molecular techniques (PCR), although no clinical signs were observed as a result of this infection.…”

“…In the present study, out of 231 animals, only one was infected with C. parvum. This low prevalence can be due to the fact that only two animals (0.87%) aging less than one month participated in the study, since it is known that this protozoan species mainly affects animals up to one month old (SANTÍN et al, 2008;DEL COCO et al, 2014;OUAKLI et al, 2018). A similar situation was observed, who analyzed fecal samples of 200 animals (100 calves and 100 cows) aged between two weeks and six months and over 24 months (cows) of 10 dairy farms from the central region of the State of São Paulo.…”

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in Yaks (Bos grunniens) in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Cryptosporidium spp. can cause economic losses in animal husbandry, and bring a great threat to human health ( Ouakli et al., 2018 ; Pumipuntu and Pirate, 2018 ). Therefore, it is essential to understand the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp.…”