The occurrence and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium species in freshwater biota

Hayes, Laura, Robinson, Guy, Chalmers, Rachel M., Ormerod, Steve J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8174-302X, Paziewska-Harris, Anna ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9677-4753, Chadwick, Elizabeth A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6662-6343, Durance, Isabelle ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4138-3349 and Cable, Jo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8510-7055 2023. The occurrence and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium species in freshwater biota. Parasites and Vectors 16 , 209. 10.1186/s13071-023-05827-9

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Abstract

Background: Protozoan pathogens from the genus Cryptosporidium cause the diarrhoeal disease cryptosporidiosis in humans and animals globally. Freshwater biota could act as potential reservoirs or zoonotic sources of Cryptosporidium infections for livestock and people, but Cryptosporidium occurrence in aquatic biota is largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium in a range of freshwater organisms in upland rivers across England and Wales. Methods: Fish were sampled by electrofishing, invertebrate larvae by kick sampling and the otter Lutra lutra and mink Mustela vison through faecal samples collected opportunistically as part of a nation-wide study. PCR targeting the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene was used to detect Cryptosporidium species. Results: Cryptosporidium occurred in just 0.8% of all the samples and in none of 73 samples from nine invertebrate genera. Cryptosporidium was detected in two of 2/74 fish samples (2.7%), both salmonids, and in 2/92 otter faecal samples (2.17%), but there were no positive samples in mink (0/24) or the bullhead Cottus gobio (0/16). Conclusions: Low detection rate of human-infective Cryptosporidium species in aquatic fauna indicates they may present a low risk of contamination of some upland freshwaters. Graphical Abstract:

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Biosciences
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Type: open-access. This article has a correction:Hayes, L., Robinson, G., Chalmers, R.M. et al. Correction: The occurrence and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium species in freshwater biota. Parasites Vectors 16, 370 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-023-05987-8
Publisher:	BioMed Central
Funders:	NERC
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	22 June 2023
Date of Acceptance:	31 May 2023
Last Modified:	20 Oct 2023 09:25
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/160513

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