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Jiang Y, Jiang A, Ren G, Wang L, Xin X, Yuan Z, Liu J, Li Z, Sun Y, Zhou S, Lu G, Huang H, Zhao W. Cross-species transmission of Cryptosporidium in wild rodents from the southern region of Zhejiang Province of China and its possible impact on public health. Parasite 2024; 31:34. [PMID: 38949636 PMCID: PMC11216159 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2024033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Wild rodents serve as reservoirs for Cryptosporidium and are overpopulated globally. However, genetic data regarding Cryptosporidium in these animals from China are limited. Here, we have determined the prevalence and genetic characteristics of Cryptosporidium among 370 wild rodents captured from three distinct locations in the southern region of Zhejiang Province, China. Fresh feces were collected from the rectum of each rodent, and DNA was extracted from them. The rodent species was identified by PCR amplifying the vertebrate cytochrome b gene. Cryptosporidium was detected by PCR amplification and amplicon sequencing the small subunit of ribosomal RNA gene. Positive samples of C. viatorum and C. parvum were further subtyped by analyzing the 60-kDa glycoprotein gene. A positive Cryptosporidium result was found in 7% (26/370) of samples, involving five rodent species: Apodemus agrarius (36), Niviventer niviventer (75), Rattus losea (18), R. norvegicus (155), and R. tanezumi (86). Their respective Cryptosporidium positive rates were 8.3%, 5.3%, 11.1%, 7.1%, and 7.0%. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of three Cryptosporidium species: C. parvum (4), C. viatorum (1), and C. muris (1), and two genotypes: Cryptosporidium rat genotype IV (16) and C. mortiferum-like (4). Additionally, two subtypes of C. parvum (IIdA15G1 and IIpA19) and one subtype of C. viatorum (XVdA3) were detected. These results demonstrate that various wild rodent species in Zhejiang were concurrently infected with rodent-adapted and zoonotic species/genotypes of Cryptosporidium, indicating that these rodents can play a role in maintaining and dispersing this parasite into the environment and other hosts, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Jiang
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases 200025 Shanghai China
| | - Aiying Jiang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Guangxu Ren
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Hainan Medical University Haikou Hainan China
- Hainan Medical University – The University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Hainan Medical University Haikou Hainan China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University Haikou 571199 China
| | - Long Wang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Xianming Xin
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Zhongying Yuan
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases 200025 Shanghai China
| | - Jiani Liu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Zhen Li
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases 200025 Shanghai China
| | - Yanbin Sun
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Shanshan Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases 200025 Shanghai China
| | - Gang Lu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Hainan Medical University Haikou Hainan China
- Hainan Medical University – The University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Hainan Medical University Haikou Hainan China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University Haikou 571199 China
| | - Huicong Huang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
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Egan S, Barbosa AD, Feng Y, Xiao L, Ryan U. Critters and contamination: Zoonotic protozoans in urban rodents and water quality. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 251:121165. [PMID: 38290188 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Rodents represent the single largest group within mammals and host a diverse array of zoonotic pathogens. Urbanisation impacts wild mammals, including rodents, leading to habitat loss but also providing new resources. Urban-adapted (synanthropic) rodents, such as the brown rat (R. norvegicus), black rat (R. rattus), and house mouse (Mus musculus), have long successfully adapted to living close to humans and are known carriers of zoonotic pathogens. Two important enteric, zoonotic protozoan parasites, carried by rodents, include Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Their environmental stages (oocysts/cysts), released in faeces, can contaminate surface and wastewaters, are resistant to common drinking water disinfectants and can cause water-borne related gastritis outbreaks. At least 48 species of Cryptosporidium have been described, with C. hominis and C. parvum responsible for the majority of human infections, while Giardia duodenalis assemblages A and B are the main human-infectious assemblages. Molecular characterisation is crucial to assess the public health risk linked to rodent-related water contamination due to morphological overlap between species. This review explores the global molecular diversity of these parasites in rodents, with a focus on evaluating the zoonotic risk from contamination of water and wasterwater with Cryptosporidium and Giardia oocysts/cysts from synanthropic rodents. Analysis indicates that while zoonotic Cryptosporidium and Giardia are prevalent in farmed and pet rodents, host-specific Cryptosporidium and Giardia species dominate in urban adapted rodents, and therefore the risks posed by these rodents in the transmission of zoonotic Cryptosporidium and Giardia are relatively low. Many knowledge gaps remain however, and therefore understanding the intricate dynamics of these parasites in rodent populations is essential for managing their impact on human health and water quality. This knowledge can inform strategies to reduce disease transmission and ensure safe drinking water in urban and peri‑urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhon Egan
- Harry Butler Institute, Vector- and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Group, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
| | - Amanda D Barbosa
- Harry Butler Institute, Vector- and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Group, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia; CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasilia, DF 70040-020, Brazil
| | - Yaoyu Feng
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Lihua Xiao
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Una Ryan
- Harry Butler Institute, Vector- and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Group, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia
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Rotovnik R, Lathrop TS, Skov J, Jokelainen P, Kapel CMO, Stensvold CR. Detection of zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. in small wild rodents using amplicon-based next-generation sequencing. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2024; 24:e00332. [PMID: 38188480 PMCID: PMC10767489 DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2023.e00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Rodents may serve as reservoirs of zoonotic species of Cryptosporidium; however, data from molecular surveys in support of this hypothesis are still scarce. In this study, we screened faeces and rectal content from murid and cricetid rodents (N = 58) caught around three farms in Zealand, Denmark, for Cryptosporidium spp. by amplicon-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) of ribosomal genes. Selected samples were further examined using nested conventional PCR targeting SSU rRNA, gp60, and actin genes. Cryptosporidium-specific DNA was identified in 40/58 (69%) samples, and in 12 (30%) of the 40 positive animals, mixed cryptosporidial infections were observed. Cryptosporidium ditrichi was the species most commonly identified, found in 28 (48%) of the animals. Cryptosporidium parvum was identified in 4 (7%) of the animals, all of which were co-infected with C. ditrichi. The present study is the first to utilize NGS-based screening for Cryptosporidium species in wild rodents. Moreover, it is the first study to provide molecular data on Cryptosporidium in rodents sampled in Denmark and to detect DNA of C. ditrichi in Mus musculus, Myodes glareolus, and Microtus agrestis. The NGS approach was successfully applied to yield new knowledge, and the results showed that zoonotic species of Cryptosporidium are common in murid and cricetid rodents in Zealand, Denmark.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalina Rotovnik
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Bacteria, Parasites & Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK–2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - Tatiana Siegler Lathrop
- Section for Organismal Biology, Department for Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK–1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Jakob Skov
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, DK–2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pikka Jokelainen
- Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK–2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - Christian Moliin Outzen Kapel
- Section for Organismal Biology, Department for Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK–1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Christen Rune Stensvold
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Bacteria, Parasites & Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK–2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark
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