Molecular detection and characterization of Cryptosporidium species in household dogs, pet shop puppies, and dogs kept in a school of veterinary nursing in Japan.
Members of Cryptosporidium species, which are protozoan parasites, are prevalent worldwide and can cause diarrhoea in both humans and animals, including dogs. In addition, the Cryptosporidium species harboured in dogs have the potential for zoonotic transmission. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species infection and perform molecular characterization of isolates in household dogs, pet shop puppies, and dogs kept in a school of veterinary nursing in Japan. Fresh faecal samples were collected once from 529 household dogs (aged from 2 months to 18 years old, from 9 veterinary clinics located in 6 different regions), 471 pet shop puppies (≤ 3 months old, from 4 pet shops located in 2 different regions), and 98 dogs (aged from 2 to 11 years old) kept in a veterinary nursing school. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene was employed for the detection of Cryptosporidium species, and 111 random samples of PCR amplicons (approximately 500-bp) were sequenced for the molecular characterization of the isolates. The prevalences of Cryptosporidium species in household dogs, pet shop puppies, and veterinary nursing school dogs were 7.2%, 31.6%, and 18.4%, respectively. In household dogs, no significant correlation was observed between the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species and the age (≤ 6 months vs. >6 months), living conditions (indoor vs. outdoor), faecal conditions (formed vs. unformed), and location of residence. In pet shop puppies, the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species was not related to faecal condition; however, the prevalence significantly differed among the pet shops. All of the 111 sequence samples (26 from household dogs, 75 from pet shop puppies, and 10 from veterinary nursing school dogs) were identified as Cryptosporidium canis. The present study demonstrates a high prevalence of Cryptosporidium species infections in pet shop puppies and dogs of a veterinary nursing school in Japan. However, because Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum are the most common causes of human infections, it is likely that the risk of zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium species from dogs to humans is low.
Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada 034-8628, Aomori, Japan. Electronic address: naoitoh@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp.
Naoyuki
N
Itoh
Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada 034-8628, Aomori, Japan.
Yoshino
Y
Oohashi
Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Ueda 3-18-8, Morioka 020-8550, Iwate, Japan.
Madoka
M
Ichikawa-Seki
Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Ueda 3-18-8, Morioka 020-8550, Iwate, Japan.
Tadashi
T
Itagaki
Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada 034-8628, Aomori, Japan; Ito Animal Hospital, Gakuendai 2-2-1, Miyashiro, Minami Saitama 345-0826, Saitama, Japan.
Yoichi
Y
Ito
Saeki Veterinary Science, Miyasaka 2-14-2-203, Setagaya 156-0051, Tokyo, Japan.
Hideharu
H
Saeki
Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada 034-8628, Aomori, Japan.
Kazutaka
K
Kanai
Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada 034-8628, Aomori, Japan.
Seishiro
S
Chikazawa
Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada 034-8628, Aomori, Japan.
Yasutomo
Y
Hori
Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada 034-8628, Aomori, Japan.
Fumio
F
Hoshi
Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada 034-8628, Aomori, Japan.
Seiichi
S
Higuchi
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000469:parasitology*; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005838:Genotype; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012582:Schools, Veterinary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
Cryptosporidium; Dog; Molecular characterization; Puppy