The zoonotic potential of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Norwegian sheep: a longitudinal investigation of 6 flocks of lambs

Vet Parasitol. 2010 Jul 15;171(1-2):140-5. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.03.014. Epub 2010 Mar 17.

Abstract

Faecal samples collected from lambs on 6 Norwegian farms on 2 separate occasions during spring/summer 2008 (approximately 550 samples collected at each occasion) were examined for Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts by immunofluorescent antibody test. Overall prevalence at the first sampling was approximately 23% for Giardia and 15% for Cryptosporidium, and at the second sampling approximately 31% for Giardia and 24% for Cryptosporidium, with substantial between-farm variation on each sampling occasion. To assess the potential public health significance of these infections, molecular analyses were conducted on 42 Giardia isolates and 42 Cryptosporidium isolates, with PCR targeted at one or both of two genes (Giardia: glutamate dehydrogenase and beta-giardin genes; Cryptosporidium: SSU rRNA and actin genes) for each parasite. Of the Giardia isolates, 41 were Assemblage E (non-zoonotic) and 1 was Assemblage B (zoonotic). Of the Cryptosporidium isolates, 35 were cervine genotype (potentially zoonotic) and 7 C. xiaoi (non-zoonotic). These results suggest that sheep in Norway are unlikely to be an important reservoir of zoonotic Giardia in Norway, but might have some public health significance with respect to Cryptosporidium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cryptosporidiosis / epidemiology
  • Cryptosporidiosis / parasitology
  • Cryptosporidiosis / veterinary*
  • Cryptosporidium / genetics
  • Cryptosporidium / isolation & purification*
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / chemistry
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics
  • DNA, Protozoan / chemistry
  • DNA, Protozoan / genetics
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Giardia / genetics
  • Giardia / isolation & purification*
  • Giardiasis / epidemiology
  • Giardiasis / parasitology
  • Giardiasis / veterinary*
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Norway / epidemiology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Protozoan Proteins / chemistry
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sheep
  • Sheep Diseases / epidemiology
  • Sheep Diseases / parasitology*
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses / parasitology*

Substances

  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • DNA, Protozoan
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • giardin protein, Giardia lamblia

Associated data

  • GENBANK/GQ337959
  • GENBANK/GQ337960
  • GENBANK/GQ337961
  • GENBANK/GQ337962
  • GENBANK/GQ337963
  • GENBANK/GQ337964
  • GENBANK/GQ337965
  • GENBANK/GQ337966
  • GENBANK/GQ337967
  • GENBANK/GQ337968
  • GENBANK/GQ337969
  • GENBANK/GQ337970
  • GENBANK/GQ337971
  • GENBANK/GQ337972
  • GENBANK/GQ337973
  • GENBANK/GQ337974