Molecular prevalence and subtyping of Cryptosporidium spp. in fecal samples collected from stray cats in İzmir, Turkey

Gastrointestinal protozoa in pet cats from Anhui province: prevalence and molecular characterization

Introduction

To investigate the prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus, Pentatrichomonas hominis, Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidium, Microsporidium, and Sarcocystis in domestic cats in Anhui Province, China, and their potential role as zoonotic hosts for human infection, a total of 304 fecal samples from two different sources were screened for the presence of related pathogens.

Methods

Using microscopy, along with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nested PCR amplification, followed by genotyping through sequence analysis.

Results

The infection rates of T. foetus, P. hominis, G. intestinalis, Cryptosporidium, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Sarcocystis were 5.6%, 0%, 1.7%, 0.7%, 2.6%, and 0%, respectively. The evolutionary relationships and genetic characteristics of G. intestinalis based on the GDH gene, Cryptosporidium based on the SSU rRNA gene, and E. bieneusi based on the ITS sequence were assessed: five cases of G. intestinalis were identified, with four belonging to assemblage F and one to zoonotic assemblage B, two Cryptosporidium cases were identified as Cryptosporidium felis, and all eight E. bieneusi cases were identified as belonging to group 1, with three cases being genotype D, three EbpA, and two EbpC.

Discussion

Age, neutering status, and deworming were identified as potential risk factors. Further analysis revealed that diarrhea, as a clinical symptom, could serve as an indicator for pathogen infection. Although the pathogen infection rates detected in this study were relatively low, their zoonotic transmission potential cannot be ignored. Therefore, special attention should be paid, and it is essential to establish targeted prevention plans.

Occurrence and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in Water Buffaloes (Bubalis bubalis) From Türkiye

PURPOSE

Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis are zoonotic protozoan parasites that are widely seen in domestic and wild animals worldwide. While these pathogens, which affect the digestive system of the hosts, cause high economic losses in animal breeding, they are also considered an important public health problem. In recent years, molecular-based studies revealed that 120 genotypes belonging to 44 Cryptosporidium species and eight G. duodenalis assemblages (G. duodenalis A-H) circulate among hosts. The aim of the study was to determine the presence and prevalence of cryptosporidiosis and giardiosis in buffaloes, for which there was only one previous study on the subject in Türkiye.

METHODS

In this study, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis were researched in water buffaloes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. A total of 510 water buffalo stool samples were obtained from Sivas province, an important water buffalo breeding center in Türkiye.

RESULTS

Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 20 samples (3.92%), whereas five samples (0.98%) were found to be infected with G. duodenalis. DNA sequence analyses of 18S rRNA and β-giardin genes revealed that five Cryptosporidium species, C. occultus (n = 1), C. andersoni (n = 1), C. ryanae (n = 16), C. parvum (n = 1), and C. bovis (n = 1), and G. duodenalis assemblages E were circulated in water buffaloes in Türkiye, respectively. In this work, C. ryanae was the most prevalent Cryptosporidium species, and DNA sequence analyses of these samples showed that 100% nucleotide identities were present between them. Cryptosporidium occultus (PP754270), C. andersoni (PP754271), C. ryanae (PP754272-PP754279, PP754281-PP754285, PP754287-PP754289), C. parvum (PP754280), and C. bovis (PP754286) obtained from water buffaloes in this study shared 98.59-100%, 99.88-100%, 99.49-100%, 99.62-100%, and 99.87-100% nucleotide similarity with isolates present in GeneBank, respectively. In addition, G. duodenalis (PP798352-PP798356) isolates had 99.56-100% (β-giardin) nucleotide identities with G. duodenalis isolates.

CONCLUSION

The existence of cryptosporidiosis (the five species) in water buffaloes was reported for the first time in the country. Moreover, one species (C. occultus) has been reported for the first time in Türkiye.

Gastrointestinal parasites of cats in the Middle East (2000-2023): A literature review

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Gastrointestinal parasites in stray cats are of significant clinical and zoonotic importance and pose a potential threat to public health. Hence, the current review has practical implications as it aims to present the diversity and the prevalence of cat parasites in Middle Eastern countries.

METHODS

The research process was rigorous and thorough, spanning from 2000 to 2023. Data collection and analysis were conducted utilizing multiple international and national databases, including Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Irandoc. This meticulous approach ensures the reliability and validity of the findings, providing a solid foundation for further research and preventive measures.

RESULTS

A total of 159 articles were collected and comprehensively reviewed. Among these, 85 articles were from Iran, 25 from Türkiye, 20 from Iraq, 11 from Egypt, five from Qatar, three from Cyprus, three from Kuwait, and one each from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. Toxocara cati was the most prevalent nematode, exhibiting the highest prevalence in Iran, ranging from 8% to 90%, followed by Egypt, with a range of 8.23% to 58.7%. In comparison, the lowest prevalence was recorded in Qatar at 8%. Hydatigera taeniaeformis, a common cestode in the feline, showed the highest prevalence in Qatar, with a range of 73.6% to 75.8%, while the lowest was in Kuwait at 0.8%. In Iran, the prevalence ranged from 0.9% to 64.7%. Toxoplasma gondii, a cosmopolitan protozoan, showcased the highest prevalence in Lebanon at 78.1% and the lowest in the UAE at 0.8%. In Iran, the prevalence ranged between 1.2% and 90%. Additionally, noteworthy patterns regarding the distribution and potential risk factors associated with these parasites were observed. While gender variations were not significant, environmental conditions such as high humidity and absence of sunlight exposure, along with the age and behavior of cats, were among the risk factors associated with the prevalence of parasites.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of parasites among stray cats in Iran and other Middle Eastern countries remains notably high. This emphasizes the urgent need for a series of control and preventive measures. Implementing effective anti-parasitic strategies and emphasizing the development of multiple diagnostic methods are essential.

First report of a novel 108 bp deletion and five novel SNPs in PRNP gene of stray cats and in silico analysis of their possible relation with feline spongiform encephalopathy

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative diseases affecting humans and animals. A relationship between variations in the prion gene of some species and susceptibility to prion diseases has been detected. However, variations in the prion protein of cats that have close contact with humans and their effect on prion protein are not well-known. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the variations of prion protein-encoding gene (PRNP gene) in stray cats and to evaluate variants detected in terms of genetic factors associated with susceptibility or resistance to feline spongiform encephalopathy using bioinformatics tools. For this, cat DNA samples were amplified by a PCR targeting PRNP gene and then sequenced to reveal the variations. Finally, the effects of variants on prion protein were predicted by bioinformatics tools. According to the obtained results, a novel 108 bp deletion and nine SNPs were detected. Among SNPs, five (c314A>G, c.454T>A, c.579G>C, c.642G>C and c.672G>C) were detected for the first time in this study. Bioinformatics findings showed that c.579G>C (Q193H), c.454T>A (Y152N) and c.457G>A (E153K) variants have deleterious effects on prion protein and c.579G>C (Q193H) has high amyloid propensities. This study demonstrates prion protein variants of stray cats and their deleterious effects on prion protein for the first time.

The detection and phylogenetic characterization of Cryptosporidium, Cystoisospora, and Giardia duodenalis of cats in South Korea

Introduction

Cryptosporidium, Cystoisospora, and Giardia duodenalis are gastrointestinal protozoa parasites that cause diarrhea in various animals. However, information regarding the detection and phylogenetic characterization of gastrointestinal protozoa parasites in cats is limited throughout South Korea. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the detection and identify subspecies of gastrointestinal protozoa parasites in cats from South Korea.

Methods

A total of 290 fecal samples were collected from stray, companion, and shelter cats in six provinces. Cryptosporidium, Cystoisospora, and G. duodenalis were identified by PCR. All positive samples were subtyped by PCR and sequencing of gp60, ITS-1, tpi, bg, and gdh.

Results

The overall detection of gastrointestinal protozoan parasitic infection was 17.93%. G. duodenalis was the most prevalent, with 7.93%, followed by Cystoisospora spp. (7.24%) and Cryptosporidium spp. (4.48%). In addition, C. felis (n=10), C. parvum (n=2), C. ryanae (n=1), Cystoisospora felis (n=14), Cystoisospora suis (n=5), Cystoisospora ohioensis (n=1), Cystoisospora spp. were identified in subspecies analysis of positive samples. C. felis showed a significant association with diarrhea (7.81%) and living condition (6.04%), and Cystoisospora felis in diarreha (9.38%) according to detection. Through phylogenetic analysis of the tpi, bg, and gdh genes from 23 G. duodenalispositive samples, it was confirmed that the samples of present study belonged to assemblage A, B, C, and D.

Discussion

South Korean cats have a high rate of gastrointestinal protozoan parasites infection with cat-specific Cryptosporidium and Cystoisospora, which are associated with living conditions and diarrhea symptoms. Moreover, zoonotic and other animal-specific subtype of protozoan parasites have been detected in cat feces.

Molecular prevalence and genetic diversity of Hepatozoon spp. in stray cats of İzmir, Türkiye

Hepatozoon spp. are an apicomplexan protozoan parasites that infect vertebrates including mammals, marsupials, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Among Hepatozoon species, H. canis and H. felis are causative agents of hepatozoonosis in dogs and cats, respectively and have veterinary importance. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. in stray cats living in İzmir and investigate genetic diversity among positive samples. To achieve this aim, the prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. 18S rRNA gene was screened by PCR in DNA samples extracted from blood samples of stray cats (n = 1012). Then, Hepatozoon-positive samples were sequenced and the generated data were used for species identification, phylogenetic and haplotype analyses. According to the results, among the samples screened, 2.37 % (24/1012) of them were found to be Hepatozoon-positive, and of these positive samples, 18 (18/24; 75 %) were successfully sequenced. BLAST and phylogenetic analyses revealed that all of these samples were H. felis. Also, phylogenetic analysis showed that H. felis samples were genotype I. Within H. felis samples isolated from cats living in different countries/regions, 9 haplotypes were detected and among these haplotypes, H-1 was found to be prevalent (n = 20 H. felis isolates). In conclusion, this study showed that the prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. was low in stray cats analyzed. Also, H. felis genotype I was predominant in comparison to other Hepatozoon species.

Molecular prevalence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in stray cats of İzmir, Türkiye

The phylum Microsporidia contains obligate single celled parasites that can infect many vertebrate hosts including humans. Enterocytozoon bieneusi is considered as the most diagnosed species in humans. E. bieneusi has also been detected in many animals such as cats, dogs and cattle. Among these animals, cats are carriers of type D and IV which are the most common human pathogenic genotypes of E. bieneusi. In Türkiye, the prevalence of E. bieneusi in stray cats is not well known. Therefore, in this study, the molecular prevalence of E. bieneusi in stray cats (n = 339) was determined by Real-Time PCR targeting ribosomal DNA ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region of E. bieneusi. Initially, the analytical sensitivity of Real-Time PCR was determined by a plasmid control and then E. bieneusi DNA was investigated in fecal samples of stray cats. The results showed that the analytical sensitivity of Real-Time PCR targeting ITS region of E. bieneusi was ≤1 copy plasmid/reaction. Analysis of fecal samples revealed that the molecular prevalence of E. bieneusi was 50.15% (170/339). Overall, these results showed that the Real-Time PCR successfully detected E. bieneusi in cat's fecal samples and stray cats can be an important source for transmission of E. bieneusi to humans and other animals.

Zoonotic parasites associated with predation by dogs and cats

One of the most common behaviors of cats that have an indoor/outdoor lifestyle is to bring hunted "gifts" to their owners, represented by small mammals, reptiles and birds. Access to the outdoors by dogs and cats may represent a problematic issue, since they may be at risk of diseases, traffic accidents and ingestion of toxins. Yet, the impact of this population of roaming dogs and cats predating wildlife is another concerning issue that receives less attention. Despite these risks, most owners still prefer to give outdoor access to their pets to allow them to express their "natural instincts," such as hunting. Therefore, with a growing population of > 470 million dogs and 373 million cats worldwide, predation not only represents a threat to wildlife, but also a door of transmission for parasitic diseases, some of them of zoonotic concern. In this review, the role played by dogs, and especially cats, in the perpetuation of the biological life cycle of zoonotic parasites through the predation of rodents, reptiles and birds is discussed. Feral and domestics dogs and cats have contributed to the population collapse or extinction of > 63 species of reptiles, mammals and birds. Although the ecological impact of predation on wild populations is well documented, the zoonotic risk of transmission of parasitic diseases has not received significant attention. The parasitic diseases associated to predation vary from protozoan agents, such as toxoplasmosis, to cestodes like sparganosis and even nematodes such as toxocariasis. Raising awareness about predation as a risk of zoonotic parasitic infections in dogs and cats will aid to create responsible ownership and proper actions for controlling feral and free-roaming cat and dog populations worldwide.