Global Goat! Is the Expanding Goat Population an Important Reservoir of Cryptosporidium?

Abstract

Goats are a primary or additional income source for many families in resource-poor areas. Although often considered inferior to other livestock, the resilience of goats and their ability to thrive in a range of environments means that that they are of particular value. Furthermore, goats emit less methane than other livestock species. In these same areas, it is well-documented that cryptosporidiosis has a substantial impact on infant morbidity and mortality, as well as reducing child growth and development. As Cryptosporidium also causes diarrheal disease in goats, the question arises whether goats may represent a reservoir of infection to humans. Epidemiological studies regarding the potential for transmission of Cryptosporidium between goats and humans have largely concluded that Cryptosporidium species infecting goats are not zoonotic. However, these studies are mostly from developed countries, where goat husbandry is smaller, management routines differ greatly from those of developing countries, contact between goats and their owners is more limited, and cryptosporidiosis has less impact on human health. In this article, background information on goat husbandry in different countries is provided, along with information on Cryptosporidium prevalence among goats, at both the species and sub-species levels, and the potential for zoonotic transmission. The intention is to indicate data gaps that should be filled and to increase awareness of the role of goats as providers for low-income families, often living in areas where cryptosporidiosis is endemic and where appropriate baseline interventions could have a positive impact, regardless of species of goat or parasite.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Livestock in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia and Associated Risk Factors for Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…However, in our study only C. ryanae and C. ubiquitum were detected in goat kids. A recent review of Cryptosporidium in goats (38), reported that in studies from different parts of the world (Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania) where C. ubiquitum has been reported, only subtype-XIIa has been detected (where subtyping has been conducted) and we also found this subtype.…”

“…The main finding of this study is that both parasites occur widely and frequently within livestock in rural Tigray, with a significantly higher occurrence in calves than small ruminants, particularly goat kids. The low infection in goat kids may reflect that they are browsers, and thus the likelihood of ingesting the transmission stages of these parasites from the ground is lower than for the other grazing species (38). Another important finding was that in the four study districts, Cryptosporidium infection of livestock occurred significantly less frequently than Giardia infection and a similar pattern was seen among calves from the urban farms in Mekelle.…”

Characterization of Goat Breeding Systems in Tunisia and In the Mediterranean Region

“…It is worth noting that Asia holds first place among the five continents, with 58.5% of the world's goat population (about 485 million heads). China and India, alone hold almost 55% of the world's goat population, 29 and 26% respectively (Utaaker et al, 2021). Africa is the second largest continent in terms of goat numbers, with nearly 34.5% of the world's goat population (286 million head in 2016).…”

Recent Insights Into Processing Approaches and Potential Health Benefits of Goat Milk and Its Products: A Review

“…There are ~1 billion goats on the planet, and the global goat population has doubled over the last four decades. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), developing countries are home to more than 90% of the world's goat population; Asia has the largest proportion of the world's goat population, followed by Africa ( 4 ). Goat is considered to be valuable to local farmers for both economic and subsistence reasons, by contributing to the enhancement of the livelihood of marginal farmers ( 5 ).…”