College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, No. 15 Longzihu University Area, Zhengdong New District, Zhengzhou, 450046, People's Republic of China.
International Joint Research Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases of Henan, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan Province, China.
Parasitol Res. 2024 Jan 2;123(1):81. doi: 10.1007/s00436-023-08107-8.
Cryptosporidium is an important gastrointestinal parasite that can cause mild to severe diarrhea in various vertebrates, including humans and domestic animals. Infection is prevalent in dairy cattle, particularly calves, resulting in diarrhea and increased mortality with significant production losses. However, the prevalence and identity of Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle in Heilongjiang Province is still poorly known. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence and species and subtype distribution of Cryptosporidium in cattle in the region. In addition, we evaluated the zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium isolates and assessed possible transmission routes and health effects of this organism. We collected 909 fecal samples from five different farms in Heilongjiang Province between August and September 2022. The samples underwent Cryptosporidium detection by nested PCR and small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence analysis. Four Cryptosporidium species were identified, including C. parvum, C. bovis, C. ryanae, and C. andersoni, with an overall prevalence of 4.4% (40/909). Based on sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein gene of C. parvum and C. bovis, three subtypes of C. parvum were identified, namely two previously known subtypes (IIdA19G1 and IIdA20G1), and one novel subtype (IIdA24G2). Two distinct subtype families were identified in C. bovis (XXVId and XXVIe). The high diversity of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle and the emergence of a novel subtype of C. parvum in Heilongjiang Province suggest that dairy cattle may serve as a significant source of zoonotic cryptosporidiosis infection in this region.
隐孢子虫是一种重要的胃肠道寄生虫，可引起包括人类和家畜在内的各种脊椎动物的轻度至重度腹泻。感染在奶牛中很普遍，特别是小牛，导致腹泻和死亡率增加，同时造成重大的生产损失。然而，黑龙江省奶牛中隐孢子虫的流行情况和种类仍知之甚少。本研究旨在调查该地区奶牛中隐孢子虫的流行情况、种类和亚型分布。此外，我们评估了隐孢子虫分离株的人畜共患病潜力，并评估了该生物的可能传播途径和健康影响。我们于 2022 年 8 月至 9 月间从黑龙江省的五个不同农场收集了 909 份粪便样本。这些样本通过巢式 PCR 和小亚基（SSU）rRNA 基因序列分析进行隐孢子虫检测。鉴定出了 4 种隐孢子虫，包括 C. parvum、C. bovis、C. ryanae 和 C. andersoni，总流行率为 4.4%（40/909）。根据 C. parvum 和 C. bovis 的 60 kDa 糖蛋白基因序列分析，鉴定出了 3 种 C. parvum 亚型，即两种已知的亚型（IIdA19G1 和 IIdA20G1）和一种新型亚型（IIdA24G2）。在 C. bovis 中鉴定出了两种不同的亚型家族（XXVId 和 XXVIe）。黑龙江省奶牛中隐孢子虫的多样性较高，且出现了一种新型的 C. parvum 亚型，表明奶牛可能是该地区人畜共患隐孢子虫病感染的重要来源。
