First Characterization and Zoonotic Potential of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in Pigs in Hubei Province of China

• Published in: Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology 2022-07, Vol.12, p.949773-949773
• Main Authors: Li, Dongfang, Deng, Han, Zheng, Yaxin, Zhang, Hongyan, Wang, Sen, He, Lan, Zhao, Junlong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cellular and Infection Microbiology; Cryptosporidium; Giardia duodenalis; infection rates; pigs; zoonotic
• ISSN: 2235-2988; 2235-2988
• DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.949773

The zoonotic protozoa parasites Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis infect a wide range of hosts, including humans. Pigs are reservoir hosts for Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis , which can transmit cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis to humans and other animals. The current study sought to investigate the infection rates and species/genotypes of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in pigs in Hubei of China. The nested PCR and sequence analyses of the small ribosomal subunit RNA ( SSU rRNA) gene for Cryptosporidium spp. and the β-giardin (bg) gene for G. duodenalis was utilized to screen for the infection of those parasites in a total of 826 fresh fecal samples. Both Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis infection rates were 0.97% (8/826). Of the genotyped positive isolates, 6/8 (75%) were C. scrofarum and 2/8 (25%) were C. suis , while two zoonotic species G. duodenalis assemblage E and assemblage A were also detected in 7/8 (87.5%) isolates and 1/8 (12.5%) isolates, respectively. The findings suggest that both of those parasites in pig in intensive farms of Hubei province, China, pose a potential public health risk.