Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among Children and Pets
We investigated the zoonotic transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among the children (<i>n</i> = 188), dogs (<i>n</i> = 133), and cats (<i>n</i> = 55) living in 188 households. Fecal samples were examined using ELISA and confirmed via nested PCR. Cop...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/12/1393 |
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| author | Natalia Marinho Dourado Coelho Willian Marinho Dourado Coelho Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes Marcelo Vasconcelos Meireles Walter Bertequini Nagata Valéria Marçal Felix de Lima Thais Rabelo Santos-Doni Vitória Beatriz Silva Luiz da Silveira Neto Alex Akira Nakamura Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani |
| author_facet | Natalia Marinho Dourado Coelho Willian Marinho Dourado Coelho Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes Marcelo Vasconcelos Meireles Walter Bertequini Nagata Valéria Marçal Felix de Lima Thais Rabelo Santos-Doni Vitória Beatriz Silva Luiz da Silveira Neto Alex Akira Nakamura Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani |
| author_sort | Natalia Marinho Dourado Coelho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We investigated the zoonotic transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among the children (<i>n</i> = 188), dogs (<i>n</i> = 133), and cats (<i>n</i> = 55) living in 188 households. Fecal samples were examined using ELISA and confirmed via nested PCR. Coproantigens oocysts were detected in 3.7% of children, 8.3% of dogs, and 5.5% of cats. We found strong evidence of two cases of the zoonotic transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium canis</i> between children and dogs. Furthermore, four children and their respective pets (one dog and three cats) were infected with <i>Cryptosporidium parvum</i>, but we cannot exclude the hypotheses that the oocysts were transmitted from children to animals or that both hosts were infected by a shared source, such as contaminated water or food. The presence of an infected animal elevated the risk of zoonotic transmission by 129.7-fold (95% CI: 13.92–1209.68). Furthermore, sharing a bed with pets was identified as a risk factor for infection in children (OR: 9.9, 95% CI: 1.37–71.2). In conclusion, the zoonotic transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among children and pets cohabiting in the same household may be quite common, especially when infected animals lie or sleep on children’s beds. These findings unequivocally highlight the public health concern surrounding <i>C. canis</i>. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:27:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ecd62c36eaf4426821d1f809cd0144b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:27:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ecd62c36eaf4426821d1f809cd0144b2023-12-22T14:30:48ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-11-011212139310.3390/pathogens12121393Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among Children and PetsNatalia Marinho Dourado Coelho0Willian Marinho Dourado Coelho1Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes2Marcelo Vasconcelos Meireles3Walter Bertequini Nagata4Valéria Marçal Felix de Lima5Thais Rabelo Santos-Doni6Vitória Beatriz Silva7Luiz da Silveira Neto8Alex Akira Nakamura9Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani10Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Araçatuba 16050-680, São Paulo, BrazilFaculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Fundação Educacional de Andradina, Andradina 16901-160, São Paulo, BrazilFaculdade de Ciências Médicas e Instituto de Computação, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, São Paulo, BrazilFaculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Araçatuba 16050-680, São Paulo, BrazilEscritório de Defesa Agropecuária, Coordenadoria de Defesa Agropecuária, Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Lins 16400-050, São Paulo, BrazilFaculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Araçatuba 16050-680, São Paulo, BrazilInstituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Vale do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Unaí 38610-000, Minas Gerais, BrazilImunologia e Vacinologia, Curso de Engenharia de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Tocantins (UFT), Gurupi 77410-530, Tocantins, BrazilImunologia e Vacinologia, Curso de Engenharia de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Tocantins (UFT), Gurupi 77410-530, Tocantins, BrazilFaculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Araçatuba 16050-680, São Paulo, BrazilFaculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Araçatuba 16050-680, São Paulo, BrazilWe investigated the zoonotic transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among the children (<i>n</i> = 188), dogs (<i>n</i> = 133), and cats (<i>n</i> = 55) living in 188 households. Fecal samples were examined using ELISA and confirmed via nested PCR. Coproantigens oocysts were detected in 3.7% of children, 8.3% of dogs, and 5.5% of cats. We found strong evidence of two cases of the zoonotic transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium canis</i> between children and dogs. Furthermore, four children and their respective pets (one dog and three cats) were infected with <i>Cryptosporidium parvum</i>, but we cannot exclude the hypotheses that the oocysts were transmitted from children to animals or that both hosts were infected by a shared source, such as contaminated water or food. The presence of an infected animal elevated the risk of zoonotic transmission by 129.7-fold (95% CI: 13.92–1209.68). Furthermore, sharing a bed with pets was identified as a risk factor for infection in children (OR: 9.9, 95% CI: 1.37–71.2). In conclusion, the zoonotic transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among children and pets cohabiting in the same household may be quite common, especially when infected animals lie or sleep on children’s beds. These findings unequivocally highlight the public health concern surrounding <i>C. canis</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/12/1393animalscatscryptosporidiosisdogsepidemiologyOne Health |
| spellingShingle | Natalia Marinho Dourado Coelho Willian Marinho Dourado Coelho Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes Marcelo Vasconcelos Meireles Walter Bertequini Nagata Valéria Marçal Felix de Lima Thais Rabelo Santos-Doni Vitória Beatriz Silva Luiz da Silveira Neto Alex Akira Nakamura Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among Children and Pets Pathogens animals cats cryptosporidiosis dogs epidemiology One Health |
| title | Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among Children and Pets |
| title_full | Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among Children and Pets |
| title_fullStr | Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among Children and Pets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among Children and Pets |
| title_short | Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> among Children and Pets |
| title_sort | evidence of the zoonotic transmission of i cryptosporidium i among children and pets |
| topic | animals cats cryptosporidiosis dogs epidemiology One Health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/12/1393 |
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