The Fecal Carriage of Species Among Pet Animals Suffering from Gastroenteritis: A Potential Public Health Concern.

Although recent research has provided better insights into , much remains unknown regarding non- species in animals. Pet animals living close to humans may act as a potential reservoir for a diverse species. Hence, this study aimed to investigate spp.'s prevalence among pet animals suffering from gastroenteritis and their zoonotic relevance. Eighty-seven fecal samples were collected from dogs (53) and cats (34) suffering from gastroenteritis. The DNA was extracted for the molecular detection of spp., , , and through amplification of 16S rRNA as well as multiplex PCR targeting Hsp60, urease, and urease C genes in all samples. Sequencing of some selected PCR amplicons and phylogenetic analysis were conducted. The overall prevalence of spp. ws 34.5%, with the following rates: 37.7% and 29.4% among dogs and cats, respectively. had the highest occurrence rate (20.7%), whereas was detected at 11.5%, followed by at 2.3%. Coinfection with more than one species has been documented. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis of three partial 16S rRNA sequences revealed a high genetic relatedness to strains derived from a diarrheic cat and human bacteremic patients with a history of pet exposure, indicating the public health implications of these sequences. The fecal carriage of diverse spp. among dogs and cats suffering from gastroenteritis, with a predominance of , highlights a potential risk of zoonotic transmission of such pathogens between pets and human contacts.