A pilot study of intestinal protist detection in humans, animals, and the environment in a slum area in Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence and transmission of Cryptosporidium spp., Blastocystis sp., Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica between different hosts and their shared environment in a slum area of Bangladesh. A total of 102 samples were collected from Mymensingh, Bangladesh. This collection encompassed 16 human samples, 35 soil samples and 51 animal samples from various households within the region. The detection of Cryptosporidium spp., Blastocystis sp., G. intestinalis, and E. histolytica was carried out using nested PCR and/or quantitative PCR methodologies. Among the samples, 24 human, animal, and soil out of 102 were found positive for Blastocystis sp., spanning seven subtypes: ST2, ST3, ST7, ST10, ST23, ST24 and ST25. Additionally, eight samples (8/102) including human, animal and soil tested positive for Cryptosporidium spp., including C. parvum, C. baileyi, C. bovis, and C. meleagridis. Furthermore, one soil sample tested positive for G. intestinalis assemblage B, while no samples tested positive for E. histolytica. The detection of Cryptosporidium spp., Blastocystis sp., and G. intestinalis in this study has provided insights into their presence, extending beyond humans. Moreover, these findings highlight the importance of embracing a One Health perspective with an emphasis on specific parasitic microorganisms.