Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in rodents and chickens in Franceville, Gabon

TL;DR

This study found a high prevalence of Cryptosporidium parasites in rodents and chickens in Franceville, Gabon, raising concerns about potential zoonotic transmission to humans.

Contribution

The study provides new data on Cryptosporidium prevalence in rodents and chickens in Gabon, highlighting public health implications.

Findings

The overall Cryptosporidium oocyst prevalence was 55.8% in sampled animals.

Rodents had a significantly higher prevalence (72.4%) compared to chickens (25.0%).

Molecular analysis confirmed Cryptosporidium spp. in 4.0% of the samples.

Abstract

Cryptosporidium spp. members of the phylum Apicomplexa are obligate protozoan parasites capable of infecting various vertebrate hosts, including rodents and chickens. Infection caused by these parasites may lead to zoonotic diseases in humans. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in rodents and domestic chickens sampled in Franceville, Gabon.

Two hundred and eighty-five samples were collected, of which 185 samples were from rodents and 100 from domestic chickens. Microscopy after modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining and nested polymerase chain reaction targeting the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene were used to examine Cryptosporidium spp.

The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts was 55.8%, with a prevalence of 72.4% in rodents and 25.0% in domestic chickens. Molecular analysis showed that Cryptosporidium spp. were present in 4.0% of the samples. No significant correlation was observed between Cryptosporidium spp. carriage and sex or location in this study. These results indicate that Cryptosporidium spp. persist and circulate in the studied animal species in Franceville, Gabon.

Infection with Cryptosporidium is very common in rodents and chickens in Franceville. The potential risk of human contamination cannot be ruled out. More research should be conducted to characterize Cryptosporidium species circulating in rodents and chickens in Gabon. Such studies are essential to better understand the epidemiology of this protozoan and its potential impact on public health.

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