<i>Cryptosporidium</i> genotypes in children and calves living at the wildlife or livestock interface of the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Abstract

Cryptosporidium infection is one of the most common causes of parasitic diarrhoea worldwide in cattle and humans. In developing countries, human cryptosporidiosis is most prevalent during early childhood and links between zoonotic infection and animal related activities have been demonstrated. This study investigated the prevalence and species/genotype distribution of Cryptosporidium among children (< 5 years) and calves (< 6 months) living in a rural farming area adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa, where interactions between humans and wild and domestic animals are known to occur. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 8/143 stool samples of children recruited within the hospital system (5.6%; 95% CI 2.4%, 10.7%) and in 2/352 faecal samples of calves (0.6%; 95% CI 0.1%, 2.0%) using the modified Ziehl–Neelsen (MZN) staining technique. Microscopy positive samples from children were further analysed by PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene and identified as Cryptosporidium hominis (3/4) and Cryptosporidium meleagridis (1/4). Regardless of the microscopy outcome, randomly selected samples (n = 36) from calves 0–4 months of age were amplified and sequenced at the 18S rRNA gene using nested PCR. Two calves tested positive (5.6%; 95% CI 1.7%, 18.7%), and revealed the presence of Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium bovis. The detection of only two zoonotic species (C. parvum in one calf and C. meleagridis in one child) suggests that zoonotic cryptosporidiosis is not currently widespread in our study area; however, the potential exists for amplification of transmission in an immunocompromised population.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Africa: current and future challenges

“…Cryptosporidium meleagridis is also recognized as an important human pathogen in many African countries including Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda [ 23 , 25 , 70 , 86 , 89 , 101 , 106 , 114 , 129 , 140 , 141 , 146 – 154 ]. In immunocompromised individuals, the prevalence of C. meleagridis can reach 75% (3/4 of samples typed) [ 23 , 25 , 101 , 146 , 147 , 151 , 152 ], but also 75% (9/12 of samples typed) in immunocompetent individuals [ 86 , 106 , 114 , 141 , 149 , 153 , 155 , 156 ].…”

Rotavirus and Cryptosporidium pathogens as etiological proxies of gastroenteritis in some pastoral communities of the Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa

“…These findings highlight the association of this pathogen with environmental waters and subsequently fresh produce, thereby accenting the risk of exposure of humans who utilize these waters. Furthermore, the steadiness of enteric parasites in the environment suggests that open water sources with a high possibility of anthropogenic, wildlife and livestock interactions may exacerbate the risk of cryptosporidiosis of public health importance [28]. The efficacy of Enzyme Immuno Assays (EIA) in the diagnoses of various microbial pathogens is seen by others to be inefficient compared to other methods like Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).…”

Factors Associated With Cryptosporidium Infection Among Adult HIV Positive Population in Contact With Livestock in Namwala District, Zambia

“…However, there is some information from different regions worldwide (4). In Zambia and the subregion, the burden of Cryptosporidium infection in the general human population is unknown as most studies were focused on specific groups of people such as children, or HIV infected persons (5)(6)(7). The factors associated with this infection are equally unclear, however, studies elsewhere have postulated that contact with animals, international travel and concurrent immunosuppressive disease are associated with infection (8).…”