Analyze Diet
The Journal of eukaryotic microbiology2017; 64(5); 716-720; doi: 10.1111/jeu.12399

Occurrence and Genetic Characteristics of Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium andersoni in Horses from Southwestern China.

Abstract: A total of 333 fecal specimens from horses in southwestern China were genotyped based on analysis of the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene. Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium andersoni were identified in 2 and 4 stool specimens, respectively. The identification of C. hominis was confirmed by sequence analysis of the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) and oocyst wall protein (COWP) genes. Subtyping analysis of the 60-kDa glycoprotein (GP60) gene sequence of C. hominis revealed a new rare subtype Id, named IdA15; only three Id isolates have been reported in humans to date. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis indicated that the C. andersoni subtype was A6, A5, A2, and A1 at the four minisatellite loci (MS1, MS2, MS3, and MS16, respectively). This is the first report to identify the presence of C. andersoni and C. hominis in horses in southwestern China and the first to identify a rare zoonotic subtype Id of C. hominis in horses. These findings suggest that infected horses may act as potential reservoirs of Cryptosporidium to transmit infections to humans.
Publication Date: 2017-03-08 PubMed ID: 28166378PubMed Central: PMC5599969DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12399Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the prevalence and genetic characteristics of particular parasites, Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium andersoni, in horse fecal samples in southwestern China. The study offers the first identification of these parasites in this region’s horses, revealing their potential role as infection reservoirs for human transmission.

Methodology and Sample Analysis

  • The researchers collected 333 fecal specimens from horses in southwestern China. These samples underwent genotyping, specifically analyzing the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene.
  • The genotyping process revealed the presence of Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium andersoni in 2 and 4 stool specimens respectively.
  • To confirm the presence of C. hominis, they conducted sequence analysis of the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) and oocyst wall protein (COWP) genes.

Genetic Characteristics and Subtyping

  • They further examined the 60-kDa glycoprotein (GP60) gene sequence of C. hominis, revealing a rare subtype Id, which they named IdA15.
  • Only three instances of Id isolates have been reported in humans to date. Hence, IdA15 represents a unique find.
  • They utilized Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis for C. andersoni, which indicated subtypes A6, A5, A2, and A1 at the four minisatellite loci (MS1, MS2, MS3, and MS16, respectively).

Research Outcomes and Implications

  • This is the first study reporting the existence of C. andersoni and C. hominis in horses in the region of southwestern China.
  • The discovery of a rare zoonotic subtype Id of C. hominis in horses is particularly notable and has not been identified previously.
  • The findings imply that horses infected with these parasites may serve as potential reservoirs for Cryptosporidium transmission, thereby posing a risk to human health.

Cite This Article

APA
Deng L, Li W, Zhong Z, Gong C, Cao X, Song Y, Wang W, Huang X, Liu X, Hu Y, Fu H, He M, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Wu K, Peng G. (2017). Occurrence and Genetic Characteristics of Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium andersoni in Horses from Southwestern China. J Eukaryot Microbiol, 64(5), 716-720. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeu.12399

Publication

ISSN: 1550-7408
NlmUniqueID: 9306405
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 64
Issue: 5
Pages: 716-720

Researcher Affiliations

Deng, Lei
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Li, Wei
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Zhong, Zhijun
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Gong, Chao
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Cao, Xuefeng
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Song, Yuan
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Wang, Wuyou
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Huang, Xiangming
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Liu, Xuehan
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Hu, Yanchun
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Fu, Hualin
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
He, Min
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Wang, Ya
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.
Zhang, Yue
  • Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 625001, China.
Wu, Kongju
  • Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 625001, China.
Peng, Guangneng
  • The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 611130, China.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • China
  • Cryptosporidium / classification
  • Cryptosporidium / genetics
  • DNA, Protozoan / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Genotyping Techniques
  • Horses / parasitology
  • Humans
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods

References

This article includes 34 references
  1. Burton AJ, Nydam DV, Dearen TK, Mitchell K, Bowman DD, Xiao L. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium, and identification of the Cryptosporidium horse genotype in foals in New York State.. Vet Parasitol 2010 Nov 24;174(1-2):139-44.
    pubmed: 20932647doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.08.019google scholar: lookup
  2. Cacciò SM. Molecular epidemiology of human cryptosporidiosis.. Parassitologia 2005 Jun;47(2):185-92.
    pubmed: 16252472
  3. Current WL, Reese NC, Ernst JV, Bailey WS, Heyman MB, Weinstein WM. Human cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient persons. Studies of an outbreak and experimental transmission.. N Engl J Med 1983 May 26;308(21):1252-7.
    pubmed: 6843609doi: 10.1056/nejm198305263082102google scholar: lookup
  4. Fayer R, Morgan U, Upton SJ. Epidemiology of Cryptosporidium: transmission, detection and identification.. Int J Parasitol 2000 Nov;30(12-13):1305-22.
    pubmed: 11113257doi: 10.1016/s0020-7519(00)00135-1google scholar: lookup
  5. Feng Y, Yang W, Ryan U, Zhang L, Kvác M, Koudela B, Modry D, Li N, Fayer R, Xiao L. Development of a multilocus sequence tool for typing Cryptosporidium muris and Cryptosporidium andersoni.. J Clin Microbiol 2011 Jan;49(1):34-41.
    pmc: PMC3020410pubmed: 20980577doi: 10.1128/jcm.01329-10google scholar: lookup
  6. de Graaf DC, Vanopdenbosch E, Ortega-Mora LM, Abbassi H, Peeters JE. A review of the importance of cryptosporidiosis in farm animals.. Int J Parasitol 1999 Aug;29(8):1269-87.
  7. Inácio SV, Widmer G, de Brito RL, Zucatto AS, de Aquino MC, Oliveira BC, Nakamura AA, Neto LD, Carvalho JG, Gomes JF, Meireles MV, Bresciani KD. First description of Cryptosporidium hominis GP60 genotype IkA20G1 and Cryptosporidium parvum GP60 genotypes IIaA18G3R1 and IIaA15G2R1 in foals in Brazil.. Vet Parasitol 2017 Jan 15;233:48-51.
    pubmed: 28043388doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.11.021google scholar: lookup
  8. Jian F, Liu A, Wang R, Zhang S, Qi M, Zhao W, Shi Y, Wang J, Wei J, Zhang L, Xiao L. Common occurrence of Cryptosporidium hominis in horses and donkeys.. Infect Genet Evol 2016 Sep;43:261-6.
    pubmed: 27264727doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2016.06.004google scholar: lookup
  9. Karim MR, Wang R, He X, Zhang L, Li J, Rume FI, Dong H, Qi M, Jian F, Zhang S, Sun M, Yang G, Zou F, Ning C, Xiao L. Multilocus sequence typing of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in nonhuman primates in China.. Vet Parasitol 2014 Feb 24;200(1-2):13-23.
    pubmed: 24388499doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.12.004google scholar: lookup
  10. Thivierge K, Iqbal A, Dixon B, Dion R, Levesque B, Cantin P, Cédilotte L, Ndao M, Proulx JF, Yansouni CP. Cryptosporidium hominis Is a Newly Recognized Pathogen in the Arctic Region of Nunavik, Canada: Molecular Characterization of an Outbreak.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016 Apr;10(4):e0004534.
  11. MacKenzie WR, Schell WL, Blair KA, Addiss DG, Peterson DE, Hoxie NJ, Kazmierczak JJ, Davis JP. Massive outbreak of waterborne cryptosporidium infection in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: recurrence of illness and risk of secondary transmission.. Clin Infect Dis 1995 Jul;21(1):57-62.
    pubmed: 7578760doi: 10.1093/clinids/21.1.57google scholar: lookup
  12. Laatamna AE, Wagnerová P, Sak B, Květoňová D, Xiao L, Rost M, McEvoy J, Saadi AR, Aissi M, Kváč M. Microsporidia and Cryptosporidium in horses and donkeys in Algeria: detection of a novel Cryptosporidium hominis subtype family (Ik) in a horse.. Vet Parasitol 2015 Mar 15;208(3-4):135-42.
    pubmed: 25638716doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.01.007google scholar: lookup
  13. 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.
    pmc: PMC4580357pubmed: 26394848doi: 10.1186/s13071-015-1102-0google scholar: lookup
  14. Liu H, Shen Y, Yin J, Yuan Z, Jiang Y, Xu Y, Pan W, Hu Y, Cao J. Prevalence and genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium, Enterocytozoon, Giardia and Cyclospora in diarrheal outpatients in China.. BMC Infect Dis 2014 Jan 13;14:25.
    pmc: PMC3925443pubmed: 24410985doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-14-25google scholar: lookup
  15. Liu X, Zhou X, Zhong Z, Deng J, Chen W, Cao S, Fu H, Zuo Z, Hu Y, Peng G. Multilocus genotype and subtype analysis of Cryptosporidium andersoni derived from a Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) in China.. Parasitol Res 2014 Jun;113(6):2129-36.
    pubmed: 24676462doi: 10.1007/s00436-014-3863-3google scholar: lookup
  16. Ong CS, Chow S, Gustafson R, Plohman C, Parker R, Isaac-Renton JL, Fyfe MW. Rare Cryptosporidium hominis subtype associated with aquatic center use.. Emerg Infect Dis 2008 Aug;14(8):1323-5.
    pmc: PMC2600396pubmed: 18680673doi: 10.3201/eid1408.080115google scholar: lookup
  17. Panciera RJ, Thomassen RW, Garner FM. Cryptosporidial infection in a calf. Vet. Pathol. 1970;8:479–484.
  18. Petri WA Jr, Miller M, Binder HJ, Levine MM, Dillingham R, Guerrant RL. Enteric infections, diarrhea, and their impact on function and development.. J Clin Invest 2008 Apr;118(4):1277-90.
    pmc: PMC2276781pubmed: 18382740doi: 10.1172/jci34005google scholar: lookup
  19. Qi M, Wang H, Jing B, Wang D, Wang R, Zhang L. Occurrence and molecular identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in dairy calves in Xinjiang, Northwestern China.. Vet Parasitol 2015 Sep 15;212(3-4):404-7.
    pubmed: 26186985doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.07.002google scholar: lookup
  20. Ryan U, Fayer R, Xiao L. Cryptosporidium species in humans and animals: current understanding and research needs.. Parasitology 2014 Nov;141(13):1667-85.
    pubmed: 25111501doi: 10.1017/s0031182014001085google scholar: lookup
  21. Ryan U, Paparini A, Tong K, Yang R, Gibson-Kueh S, O'Hara A, Lymbery A, Xiao L. Cryptosporidium huwi n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the guppy (Poecilia reticulata).. Exp Parasitol 2015 Mar;150:31-5.
    pubmed: 25637783doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2015.01.009google scholar: lookup
  22. SLAVIN D. Cryptosporidium meleagridis (sp. nov.).. J Comp Pathol 1955 Jul;65(3):262-6.
    pubmed: 13242675doi: 10.1016/s0368-1742(55)80025-2google scholar: lookup
  23. Snyder SP, England JJ, McChesney AE. Cryptosporidiosis in immunodeficient Arabian foals.. Vet Pathol 1978 Jan;15(1):12-7.
    pubmed: 625861doi: 10.1177/030098587801500102google scholar: lookup
  24. Sulaiman IM, Hira PR, Zhou L, Al-Ali FM, Al-Shelahi FA, Shweiki HM, Iqbal J, Khalid N, Xiao L. Unique endemicity of cryptosporidiosis in children in Kuwait.. J Clin Microbiol 2005 Jun;43(6):2805-9.
  25. Sulaiman IM, Morgan UM, Thompson RC, Lal AA, Xiao L. Phylogenetic relationships of Cryptosporidium parasites based on the 70-kilodalton heat shock protein (HSP70) gene.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2000 Jun;66(6):2385-91.
  26. Trotz-Williams LA, Martin DS, Gatei W, Cama V, Peregrine AS, Martin SW, Nydam DV, Jamieson F, Xiao L. Genotype and subtype analyses of Cryptosporidium isolates from dairy calves and humans in Ontario.. Parasitol Res 2006 Sep;99(4):346-52.
    pubmed: 16565813doi: 10.1007/s00436-006-0157-4google scholar: lookup
  27. Tyzzer EE. A sporozoan fund in the peptic glands of the common mouse. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 1907;56:12–13.
  28. Wagnerová P, Sak B, McEvoy J, Rost M, Matysiak AP, Ježková J, Kváč M. Genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. including novel identification of the Cryptosporidium muris and Cryptosporidium tyzzeri in horses in the Czech Republic and Poland.. Parasitol Res 2015 Apr;114(4):1619-24.
    pubmed: 25722018doi: 10.1007/s00436-015-4353-ygoogle scholar: lookup
  29. Wang R, Jian F, Zhang L, Ning C, Liu A, Zhao J, Feng Y, Qi M, Wang H, Lv C, Zhao G, Xiao L. Multilocus sequence subtyping and genetic structure of Cryptosporidium muris and Cryptosporidium andersoni.. PLoS One 2012;7(8):e43782.
  30. Wang R, Zhang X, Zhu H, Zhang L, Feng Y, Jian F, Ning C, Qi M, Zhou Y, Fu K, Wang Y, Sun Y, Wang Q, Xiao L. Genetic characterizations of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in humans in Henan, China.. Exp Parasitol 2011 Jan;127(1):42-5.
    pubmed: 20599984doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2010.06.034google scholar: lookup
  31. Xiao L, Bern C, Limor J, Sulaiman I, Roberts J, Checkley W, Cabrera L, Gilman RH, Lal AA. Identification of 5 types of Cryptosporidium parasites in children in Lima, Peru.. J Infect Dis 2001 Feb 1;183(3):492-7.
    pubmed: 11133382doi: 10.1086/318090google scholar: lookup
  32. Xiao L, Escalante L, Yang C, Sulaiman I, Escalante AA, Montali RJ, Fayer R, Lal AA. Phylogenetic analysis of Cryptosporidium parasites based on the small-subunit rRNA gene locus.. Appl Environ Microbiol 1999 Apr;65(4):1578-83.
  33. Xiao L, Limor J, Morgan UM, Sulaiman IM, Thompson RC, Lal AA. Sequence differences in the diagnostic target region of the oocyst wall protein gene of Cryptosporidium parasites.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2000 Dec;66(12):5499-502.
  34. Zhao GH, Du SZ, Wang HB, Hu XF, Deng MJ, Yu SK, Zhang LX, Zhu XQ. First report of zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia intestinalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in golden takins (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi).. Infect Genet Evol 2015 Aug;34:394-401.
    pubmed: 26190449doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.07.016google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 13 times.
  1. 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.
    doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1072385pubmed: 36506009google scholar: lookup
  2. Wang Y, Li X, Chen X, Kulyar MF, Duan K, Li H, Bhutta ZA, Wu Y, Li K. Gut Fungal Microbiome Responses to Natural Cryptosporidium Infection in Horses. Front Microbiol 2022;13:877280.
    doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.877280pubmed: 35875530google scholar: lookup
  3. Jia R, Wen X, Guo Y, Xiao L, Feng Y, Li N. Decline in Cryptosporidium Infection in Free-Ranging Rhesus Monkeys in a Park After Public Health Interventions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022;12:901766.
    doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.901766pubmed: 35873143google scholar: lookup
  4. Li S, Zou Y, Wang P, Qu MR, Zheng WB, Wang P, Chen XQ, Zhu XQ. Prevalence and multilocus genotyping of Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle in Jiangxi Province, southeastern China. Parasitol Res 2021 Apr;120(4):1281-1289.
    doi: 10.1007/s00436-021-07047-5pubmed: 33615408google scholar: lookup
  5. Liu A, Gong B, Liu X, Shen Y, Wu Y, Zhang W, Cao J. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of human Cryptosporidium infection in China during the past three decades (1987-2018). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 Mar;14(3):e0008146.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008146pubmed: 32226011google scholar: lookup
  6. Wang SN, Sun Y, Zhou HH, Lu G, Qi M, Liu WS, Zhao W. Prevalence and genotypic identification of Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in captive Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in Heilongjiang and Fujian provinces of China. BMC Vet Res 2020 Mar 10;16(1):84.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02292-9pubmed: 32151253google scholar: lookup
  7. 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.
    doi: 10.1007/s00436-019-06529-xpubmed: 31758296google scholar: lookup
  8. Chai Y, Deng L, Liu H, Yao J, Zhong Z, Xiang L, Fu H, Shen L, Zhou Z, Deng J, Hu Y, Peng G. First detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in red-bellied tree squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus) in China. Parasite 2019;26:28.
    doi: 10.1051/parasite/2019029pubmed: 31081495google scholar: lookup
  9. Zhao W, Zhou H, Jin H, Liu M, Qiu M, Li L, Yin F, Chan JF, Lu G. Molecular prevalence and subtyping of Cryptosporidium hominis among captive long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) from Hainan Island, southern China. Parasit Vectors 2019 Apr 30;12(1):192.
    doi: 10.1186/s13071-019-3449-0pubmed: 31039801google scholar: lookup
  10. Feng Y, Xiao L. Molecular Epidemiology of Cryptosporidiosis in China. Front Microbiol 2017;8:1701.
    doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01701pubmed: 28932217google scholar: lookup
  11. Peng X, Wang X, Jian J, Zuo Q, Liu H, Wang Y, Su Y, Cao J, Jiang B, Shen Y. Investigation of Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in free-ranged livestock on the southeastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China. BMC Infect Dis 2025 Mar 13;25(1):356.
    doi: 10.1186/s12879-025-10737-5pubmed: 40082808google scholar: lookup
  12. Maxamhud S, Reghaissia N, Laatamna A, Gentekaki E, Tsaousis AD. Epidemiology and transmission patterns of Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia duodenalis within a One Health framework in rural areas of Eastern Algeria. Parasitology 2025 Jan;152(1):51-60.
    doi: 10.1017/S0031182024001616pubmed: 39690166google scholar: lookup
  13. Salem SE, Abd El-Ghany AM, Elsheikh HA, Abdel-Ghany EM, Ras R. Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in a working horse population in Egypt. Trop Anim Health Prod 2023 Oct 18;55(6):361.
    doi: 10.1007/s11250-023-03773-3pubmed: 37851181google scholar: lookup