Genotypes of Cryptosporidium spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Giardia duodenalis in dogs and cats in Shanghai, China

Abstract

BackgroundControversies exist on the potential role of companion animals in the transmission of enteric pathogens in humans. This study was conducted to examine the genotype distribution of Cryptosporidium spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Giardia duodenalis in companion animals in Shanghai, China, and to assess their zoonotic potential.MethodsFecal specimens from 485 dogs and 160 cats were examined for the occurrence and genotype distribution of the three pathogens by PCR. PCR products were sequenced to determine the species and genotypes. The χ2 test was used to compare differences in infection rates between living conditions or age groups.ResultsCryptosporidium spp., E. bieneusi and G. duodenalis were found in 39 (8.0 %), 29 (6.0 %) and 127 (26.2 %) of dogs, and 6 (3.8 %), 9 (5.6 %) and 21 (13.1 %) of cats, respectively. Infection rates of the pathogens in dogs from pet shops and a clinic were higher than those in household dogs, and higher in cats from one animal shelter than from pet shops. No significant differences in infection rates were detected among age groups. Cryptosporidium canis and C. felis were the only Cryptosporidium species found in dogs and cats, respectively. Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype PtEb IX was the dominant genotype in dogs, whereas Type IV and D were the most common ones in cats. Multi-locus sequence typing at the glutamate dehydrogenase, β-giardin, and triosephosphate isomerase loci revealed the presence of G. duodenalis assemblages A (n = 23), B (n = 1), C (n = 26), and D (n = 58) in dogs (only A in household dogs) and assemblages A (n = 2), B (n = 6), C (n = 2), D (n = 1), and F (n = 7) in cats. Co-infection was detected in 24 dogs and 5 cats, especially those living in crowded conditions.ConclusionsLiving condition is a major risk factor affecting the occurrence of enteric protists in companion animals in China, and although dogs and cats can be potential sources of human infections, the different distribution of pathogen species and genotypes between dogs and cats suggests that inter-species transmission of these pathogens is probably rare in the study area.

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

“…can cause severe generalised encephalitozoonosis or cataracts and uveitis in cats, these zoonotic agents are probably relatively rare, as evidenced by low seroprevalence (2%) in healthy cats (Buyukmihci et al 1977, Hsu et al 2011, Rebel-Bauder et al 2011). Whereas 13 genotypes of E. bieneusi have been reported in cats (Karim et al 2014), we detected only genotype D, which is one of the most frequently reported genotypes (Santín et al 2006, Xu et al 2016. In contrast to previous surveys (Dengjel et al 2001, Xu et al 2016), we did not find E. bieneusi in pet cats.…”

“…Whereas 13 genotypes of E. bieneusi have been reported in cats (Karim et al 2014), we detected only genotype D, which is one of the most frequently reported genotypes (Santín et al 2006, Xu et al 2016. In contrast to previous surveys (Dengjel et al 2001, Xu et al 2016), we did not find E. bieneusi in pet cats.…”

“…The prevalence of microsporidia was low in stray and pet cats, which corresponds to previous findings (Santín et al 2006, Xu et al 2016. Encephalitozoon cuniculi was the only species of Encephalitozoon found in cats in the present study and it is the dominant species reported in other studies on cats (Hsu et al 2011, Piekarska et al 2017, with only one report of another species, E. intestinalis, in a cat from Brazil (Velasquez et al 2012).…”

“…All Cryptosporidium-positive cats were shedding C. felis, which is consistent with the reported dominance of this species in domestic cats, whereas other species and genotypes are reported less frequently (Santín et al 2006, Palmer et al 2008, Xu et al 2016). There are many reports of cryptosporidiosis of cats, with a prevalence ranging from 1 to 25% (e.g.…”

“…Rambozzi et al 2007, Yang et al 2015, but few studies have compared the occurrence of cryptosporidia in pet and stray cats. Similarly to Yang et al (2015) and Xu et al (2016) we found to be more frequently present in stray cats (8%) than pet cats (1%). The prevalence of G. intestinalis in cats (6%) was similar to that in Columbia, Italy and the United States (3-11%; Hill et al 2000, Spain et al 2001, Santín et al 2006), but lower than prevalence found in Australia (80%; McGlade et al 2003).…”