The occurrence and genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium and Giardia species in foals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Greece.
Abstract: Faecal samples were collected from foals between the age of 1 week and 6 months in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Greece. A quantitative direct immunofluorescence assay based on the commercial MERIFLUOR Cryptosporidium/Giardia kit was performed to evaluate the presence of (oo) cysts. Parasite positive samples were genotyped, based on the 18S ribosomal DNA gene and the heat shock protein (HSP70) gene for Cryptosporidium and on the β-giardin gene and the triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) gene for Giardia. In total, 134 foals from Belgium, 44 foals from The Netherlands, 30 foals from Germany and 190 foals from Greece were examined. No Cryptosporidium oocysts were identified in faecal samples from foals in Germany and The Netherlands. In Belgium and Greece, 4.5% and 1.1% of the foals examined were Cryptosporidium positive, respectively, all with a low oocyst excretion ranging from 100 to 2450 oocysts per gram of faeces. For Giardia, 14.2%, 11.4%, 10.0% and 11.6% of the foals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Greece, respectively, were found to excrete cysts, with a range of 50 up to 4,000,000 cysts per gram of faeces. Younger animals secreted significantly more Giardia cysts than older horses (p<0.05), but no significant correlation between Giardia infection and diarrhoea was observed. Most Giardia positive samples belonged to assemblage AI and/or BIV, but also assemblage E was detected in two samples. Together with the identification of Cryptosporidium horse genotype, this suggests only a low risk for zoonotic transmission.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2015-04-27 PubMed ID: 26012855DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.04.018Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
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Summary
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The research investigates the occurrence and genetic makeup of Cryptosporidium and Giardia species in foals across Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Greece. Results indicate that their prevalence varies. Younger foals excrete more Giardia cysts, but there’s no direct link to diarrhea. The genetic types found pose a low risk of being transmitted to humans.
Objective and Methodology
- The main objective of this research was to investigate the occurrence and characterize the genetic types of the parasite species Cryptosporidium and Giardia in foals across four European countries: Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Greece.
- Faecal samples were collected from foals aged between 1 week and 6 months for this study. The presence of cysts was identified using the commercial MERIFLUOR Cryptosporidium/Giardia kit in a quantitative direct immunofluorescence assay.
- The genotyping of parasite positive samples was carried out based on specific genes for Cryptosporidium and Giardia respectively.
Findings
- A total of 134 foals from Belgium, 44 from The Netherlands, 30 from Germany, and 190 from Greece were examined.
- It was found that Cryptosporidium was present in 4.5% of foals in Belgium and 1.1% in Greece, with none detected in Germany and The Netherlands.
- The excretion level of Cryptosporidium was quite low, ranging from 100 to 2450 oocysts per gram of faeces.
- In contrast, Giardia was found more frequently, with the prevalence in Belgium (14.2%), The Netherlands (11.4%), Germany (10.0%), and Greece (11.6%).
- A wide range of the number of Giardia cysts excreted was noted, from 50 up to 4,000,000 cysts per gram of faeces.
- There was a significant trend that younger foals excreted more Giardia cysts than the older ones.
- There was no significant correlation found between Giardia infection and diarrhoea in the foals.
Implications
- The genotyping of Giardia and Cryptosporidium samples suggested that most of them belonged to specific assemblages that pose a low risk for zoonotic transmission.
- Despite the prevalence of Giardia being quite high in some countries, the study suggests that the zoonotic risk (transmission to humans) by these parasites in foals across the countries studied is relatively low.
Conclusions
- The study provides key insights into the occurrence and genetic nature of Cryptosporidium and Giardia species in foals from various countries.
- It underscores the importance of continued surveillance and further studies to understand the zoonotic implications and potential health risks posed by these parasitic infections.
Cite This Article
APA
Kostopoulou D, Casaert S, Tzanidakis N, van Doorn D, Demeler J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Saratsis A, Voutzourakis N, Ehsan A, Doornaert T, Looijen M, De Wilde N, Sotiraki S, Claerebout E, Geurden T.
(2015).
The occurrence and genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium and Giardia species in foals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Greece.
Vet Parasitol, 211(3-4), 170-174.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.04.018 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece; Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: nelly_kost@hotmail.gr.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Cryptosporidiosis / epidemiology
- Cryptosporidiosis / parasitology
- Cryptosporidium / genetics
- Diarrhea / parasitology
- Diarrhea / veterinary
- Genotype
- Giardia / genetics
- Giardiasis / epidemiology
- Giardiasis / parasitology
- Giardiasis / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
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