title: Epidemiology and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in humans, wild primates, and domesticated animals in the Greater Gombe Ecosystem, Tanzania.
abstract: Cryptosporidium is an important zoonotic parasite globally. Few studies have examined the ecology and epidemiology of this pathogen in rural tropical systems characterized by high rates of overlap among humans, domesticated animals, and wildlife. We investigated risk factors for Cryptosporidium infection and assessed cross-species transmission potential among people, non-human primates, and domestic animals in the Gombe Ecosystem, Kigoma District, Tanzania. A cross-sectional survey was designed to determine the occurrence and risk factors for Cryptosporidium infection in humans, domestic animals and wildlife living in and around Gombe National Park. Diagnostic PCR revealed Cryptosporidium infection rates of 4.3% in humans, 16.0% in non-human primates, and 9.6% in livestock. Local streams sampled were negative. DNA sequencing uncovered a complex epidemiology for Cryptosporidium in this system, with humans, baboons and a subset of chimpanzees infected with C. hominis subtype IfA12G2; another subset of chimpanzees infected with C. suis; and all positive goats and sheep infected with C. xiaoi. For humans, residence location was associated with increased risk of infection in Mwamgongo village compared to one camp (Kasekela), and there was an increased odds for infection when living in a household with another positive person. Fecal consistency and other gastrointestinal signs did not predict Cryptosporidium infection. Despite a high degree of habitat overlap between village people and livestock, our results suggest that there are distinct Cryptosporidium transmission dynamics for humans and livestock in this system. The dominance of C. hominis subtype IfA12G2 among humans and non-human primates suggest cross-species transmission. Interestingly, a subset of chimpanzees was infected with C. suis. We hypothesize that there is cross-species transmission from bush pigs (Potaochoerus larvatus) to chimpanzees in Gombe forest, since domesticated pigs are regionally absent. Our findings demonstrate a complex nature of Cryptosporidium in sympatric primates, including humans, and stress the need for further studies.
authors.affiliation: Program in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution and Departments of Environmental Sciences and Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America; Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Michele B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Travis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
authors.forename: Elizabeth V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Lonsdorf
authors.affiliation: The Jane Goodall Institute, Kigoma, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Iddi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lipende
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Roellig
authors.affiliation: Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America; The Jane Goodall Institute, Kigoma, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Dawn M Anthony
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Roellig
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: The Jane Goodall Institute, Kigoma, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Shadrack
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamenya
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasite Disease Prevention and Control, Henan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Program in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution and Departments of Environmental Sciences and Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Gillespie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000469:parasitology*; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock / Q000469:parasitology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011323:Primates / Q000469:parasitology; D012307:Risk Factors; D045483:Rivers / Q000469:parasitology; D012424:Rural Population; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology; D013552:Swine / Q000469:parasitology; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology