Epidemiological survey on Cryptosporidium in an Equine Perinatology Unit.
Abstract: The present study aims to evaluate the prevalence, pattern of spread and risk factors for the transmission of cryptosporidiosis in foals and mares hospitalized in a University Equine Perinatology Unit, where a new subtype family of Cryptosporidium horse genotype was described by Caffara et al. (2013). Mares (36) and foals (37) hospitalized during the 2012 foaling season were included. Multiple sampling from each animal was performed (a total of 305 stool samples were collected). One hundred and eleven environmental samples (gauze swabs) were also collected before and after the breeding season. Fourteen foals were found positive for Cryptosporidium spp. by PCR in at least one sample; a total of 35 foal stool specimens were confirmed for the presence of the protozoa. Instead none of the stool specimens from mares were found positive. PCR-RFLP analysis shows Cryptosporidium parvum in 5 stool samples and Cryptosporidium horse genotype in 21. In 9 specimens, from 4 different foals, the profile was suggestive for a mixed infection. The subtyping at gp60 locus showed 2 strains as members of the subtype family IId and six of the subfamily IIa of C. parvum. Twenty isolates were identified as Cryptosporidium horse genotype subtype VIaA15G4. Five gauze swabs collected from the walls of the boxes where the animals were hosted out of 111 environmental samples examined were PCR positive for Cryptosporidium spp. Cryptosporidium parvum was detected in one sample collected before the foaling season, while Cryptosporidium horse genotype profile was observed in 4 wall samples collected at the end of the 2012 foaling season. The prevalence observed in foals (37.8%) was higher than that reported in other studies. These features and the diffusion of the same genotype point out as the EPU, where critically ill foals are hospitalized, can support the spread of cryptosporidiosis. Therefore, the manual tasks and the activities carried out in these facilities are of great importance, as they might favor the diffusion of the infection.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2015-03-30 PubMed ID: 25868850DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.03.021Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research explores the occurrence, spread, and risk factors for transmission of a disease known as cryptosporidiosis among horses and young foals in a university veterinary center. The study found a high prevalence of the disease, particularly in young foals.
Objective and Scope of the Study
- The study’s main objective was to assess how widespread cryptosporidiosis (a parasitic disease caused by Cryptosporidium) is, understand how it spreads, and identify risk factors for its transmission among horses and foals in a perinatology unit at a university.
- The research included 36 mares (adult female horses) and 37 foals (horse offspring). Sampling was done multiple times for each animal.
Findings
- Out of the 37 foals, 14 were found to be positive for Cryptosporidium in at least one sample analyzed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), which is a laboratory test used to amplify and measure DNA sequences.
- There were 35 instances where foal stool tested positive for Cryptosporidium.
- None of the mares’ stool specimens tested positive.
- Further testing identified specific Cryptosporidium strains (C. parvum and Cryptosporidium horse genotype) in the samples. In some instances, multiple Cryptosporidium strains were found in the same sample, suggesting mixed infection.
- In addition, certain strains identified matched a subtype that was previously described as a new subtype in a 2013 Caffara study.
Environmental Factors
- Environmental samples were also collected and analyzed. Five swabs collected from the walls of the stables tested positive for Cryptosporidium.
- One out these five had Cryptosporidium prior to the breeding season, while the rest were collected at the end of the 2012 foaling season.
- The presence of Cryptosporidium on the stables’ walls suggests that conditions in the environment may contribute to the disease’s spread.
Conclusion and Implications
- The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in foals was higher than what other studies have reported.
- The study suggests that equine perinatology units, which treat unwell foals, may inadvertently contribute to the spread of cryptosporidiosis. The activities carried out in these facilities should therefore be carefully managed to prevent further spread of the infection.
Cite This Article
APA
Galuppi R, Piva S, Castagnetti C, Iacono E, Tanel S, Pallaver F, Fioravanti ML, Zanoni RG, Tampieri MP, Caffara M.
(2015).
Epidemiological survey on Cryptosporidium in an Equine Perinatology Unit.
Vet Parasitol, 210(1-2), 10-18.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.03.021 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy. Electronic address: roberta.galuppi@unibo.it.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Bologna University, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Cryptosporidiosis / epidemiology
- Cryptosporidiosis / parasitology
- Cryptosporidium / classification
- Cryptosporidium / genetics
- Cryptosporidium / isolation & purification
- Feces / parasitology
- Female
- Gene Expression Profiling / veterinary
- Genotype
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Prevalence
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Li XM, Geng HL, Wei YJ, Yan WL, Liu J, Wei XY, Zhang M, Wang XY, Zhang XX, Liu G. Global prevalence and risk factors of Cryptosporidium infection in Equus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022;12:1072385.
- Willette JA, Kopper JJ, Kogan CJ, Seguin MA, Schott HC. Effect of season and geographic location in the United States on detection of potential enteric pathogens or toxin genes in horses ≥6-mo-old. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022 May;34(3):407-411.
- Qin SY, Sun HT, Lyu C, Zhu JH, Wang ZJ, Ma T, Zhao Q, Lan YG, He WQ. Prevalence and Characterization of Cryptosporidium Species in Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii). Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021;11:713873.
- Kopper JJ, Willette JA, Kogan CJ, Seguin A, Bolin SR, Schott HC 2nd. Detection of pathogens in blood or feces of adult horses with enteric disease and association with outcome of colitis. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Sep;35(5):2465-2472.
- Wang W, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Zhao A, Jing B, Zhang L, Liu P, Qi M, Zhao W. Prevalence and genotypic identification of Cryptosporidium in free-ranging and farm-raised donkeys (Equus asinus asinus) in Xinjiang, China. Parasite 2020;27:45.
- Couso-Pérez S, de Limia FB, Ares-Mazás E, Gómez-Couso H. First report of zoonotic Cryptosporidium parvum GP60 subtypes IIaA15G2R1 and IIaA16G3R1 in wild ponies from the northern Iberian Peninsula. Parasitol Res 2020 Jan;119(1):249-254.
- Hatam-Nahavandi K, Ahmadpour E, Carmena D, Spotin A, Bangoura B, Xiao L. Cryptosporidium infections in terrestrial ungulates with focus on livestock: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Parasit Vectors 2019 Sep 14;12(1):453.
- Nolan MJ, Unger M, Yeap YT, Rogers E, Millet I, Harman K, Fox M, Kalema-Zikusoka G, Blake DP. Molecular characterisation of protist parasites in human-habituated mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), humans and livestock, from Bwindi impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Parasit Vectors 2017 Jul 18;10(1):340.
- Liu A, Zhang J, Zhao J, Zhao W, Wang R, Zhang L. The first report of Cryptosporidium andersoni in horses with diarrhea and multilocus subtype analysis. Parasit Vectors 2015 Sep 22;8:483.
- Figueiredo AM, Köster PC, Dashti A, Torres RT, Fonseca C, Mysterud A, Bailo B, Carvalho J, Ferreira E, Hipólito D, Fernandes J, Lino A, Palmeira JD, Sarmento P, Neves N, Carrapato C, Calero-Bernal R, Carmena D. Molecular Detection and Distribution of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. Infections in Wild and Domestic Animals in Portugal. Transbound Emerg Dis 2023;2023:5849842.
- Marchiori E, Bono L, Voltan L, Dotto G, Tessarin C, Marcer F. Gastrointestinal Parasites in Non-Human Primates in Zoological Gardens in Northern Italy. Animals (Basel) 2024 Sep 7;14(17).
- Meng X, Chu W, Tang Y, Wang W, Chen Y, Li N, Feng Y, Xiao L, Guo Y. High zoonotic potential and heavy environmental burden of Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in farmed and pet African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). One Health 2023 Jun;16:100532.
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