Molecular Epidemiology, Spatiotemporal Analysis, and Ecology of Sporadic Human Cryptosporidiosis in Australia

Abstract

Parasites from the Cryptosporidium genus are the most common cause of waterborne disease around the world. Successful management and prevention of this emerging disease requires knowledge of the diversity of species causing human disease and their zoonotic sources. This study employed a spatiotemporal approach to investigate sporadic human cryptosporidiosis in New South Wales, Australia, between January 2008 and December 2010. Analysis of 261 human fecal samples showed that sporadic human cryptosporidiosis is caused by four species; C. hominis, C. parvum, C. andersoni, and C. fayeri. Sequence analysis of the gp60 gene identified 5 subtype families and 31 subtypes. Cryptosporidium hominis IbA10G2 and C. parvum IIaA18G3R1 were the most frequent causes of human cryptosporidiosis in New South Wales, with 59% and 16% of infections, respectively, attributed to them. The results showed that infections were most prevalent in 0-to 4-year-olds. No gender bias or regional segregation was observed between the distribution of C. hominis and C. parvum infections. To determine the role of cattle in sporadic human infections in New South Wales, 205 cattle fecal samples were analyzed. Four Cryptosporidium species were identified, C. hominis, C. parvum, C. bovis, and C. ryanae. C. parvum subtype IIaA18G3R1 was the most common cause of cryptosporidiosis in cattle, with 47% of infections attributed to it. C. hominis subtype IbA10G2 was also identified in cattle isolates.

<em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. and rotavirus gastroenteritis and change of incidence after rotavirus vaccination among children in Raparin Pediatrics Hospital, Erbil, Iraq

“…Most cases of cryptosporidiosis were detected among children within age group ≤2 years old. This finding was consistent with previously published data, 3 which stated that cryptosporidiosis (43%) was much higher among children less than 4 years old in New South Wales, Australia, between January 2008 and December 2010. Consistently, Adamu et al (2015), 5 found that highest rate of cryptosporidiosis (46.8%) was among under two years old diarrheal children and who presented to a number of health care providers in Addis Ababa between January and March, 2004.…”

“…Children younger than five years of age are more commonly infected mainly in developing countries due to their immunological immaturity and their unhygienic behavior. 3 Epidemiological studies reported that cryptosporidiosis is more prevalent in developing countries (5%-10%) than in developed countries (1%-3%). [4][5][6] Cryptosporidium spp.…”

“…Humans acquire infections through direct contact with infected persons (anthroponotic transmission); animals (zoonotic transmission) or through ingestion of contaminated food or water. 3 Rotaviruses are the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in newborns and young children both in developing and developed countries. Studies have reported that each year rotavirus causes about 111 million episodes of diarrhea requiring only home care, two million hospitalizations and 400,000 deaths in children under five years of age; 82% of which occurs in children in the poorest countries.…”

Cryptosporidiumspecies in Australian wildlife and domestic animals

“…Recently, C. fayeri, C. andersoni and C. bovis have been identified in individual human cases in NSW (Waldron et al 2010(Waldron et al , 2011aNg et al 2012).…”

Human Cryptosporidiosis Diagnosed in Western Australia: a Mixed Infection with Cryptosporidium meleagridis, the Cryptosporidium Mink Genotype, and an Unknown Cryptosporidium Species

“…There has been one case each of human cryptosporidiosis with C. fayeri, C. andersoni, and C. bovis in Australia (6,8). It is likely that this patient was infected with Cryptosporidium during his travels to PNG through ingestion of contaminated water; however, this cannot be confirmed.…”