title: Occurrence and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in sheep and goats reared under dairy husbandry systems in Greece.
abstract: Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. are gastro-intestinal protozoa known to infect small ruminants. Both protozoa are also considered as a potential public health concern. The objective of this study was to determine their prevalence in lambs and goat kids kept under common Mediterranean dairy husbandry systems and to identify the species and genotypes infecting these small ruminants. In total, 684 faecal samples (429 from lambs and 255 from goat kids) were collected on 21 farms in Greece and examined using a quantitative immunofluorescence assay. G. duodenalis was detected in 37.3% of the lambs and 40.4% of the goat kids. On all but one of the farms G. duodenalis was detected. Most samples were typed as a mono-infection with G. duodenalis assemblage E, both on the β-giardin gene and the triose phosphate isomerase gene. Only 10% of samples were typed as mixed assemblage A and E infections. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was 5.1% in lambs and 7.1% in goat kids. In total, 8 out of the 14 farms with a sheep flock and 7 out of the 14 farms with a goat flock were positive. Cryptosporidium parvum (subtype IId), C. ubiquitum and C. xiaoi were identified, the latter especially in goat kids. In conclusion, the results of the present study illustrate that G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. occur frequently on both sheep and goats farms. The prevalence of zoonotic genotypes or species was low, indicating a limited but existing risk for zoonotic infections.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Research Institute - Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, 57001 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tzanidakis
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Research Institute - Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, 57001 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Smaragda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sotiraki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Claerebout
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Amimul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehsan
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Research Institute - Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, 57001 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Voutzourakis
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Research Institute - Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, 57001 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Despoina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kostopoulou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Casaert
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stijn
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vercruysse
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Geurden
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D005838:Genotype; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006041:Goats / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D033661:Oocysts; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014305:Triose-Phosphate Isomerase / Q000235:genetics; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C038207:giardin protein, Giardia lamblia; D014305:Triose-Phosphate Isomerase