Zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium meleagridis on an organic Swedish farm

• Published in: International journal for parasitology Vol. 42; no. 11; pp. 963 - 967
• Main Authors: Silverlås, Charlotte, Mattsson, Jens G., Insulander, Mona, Lebbad, Marianne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidiosis - epidemiology; Cryptosporidiosis - parasitology; Cryptosporidiosis - transmission; Cryptosporidium; Cryptosporidium - classification; Cryptosporidium - genetics; Cryptosporidium - physiology; Cryptosporidium meleagridis; DNA; Farms; Feces - parasitology; Food Contamination; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genotype; Heat shock proteins; HSP70; Hsp70 protein; Human cryptosporidiosis; Humans; Life cycle. Host-agent relationship. Pathogenesis; Livestock; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Oocysts; Poultry; Protozoa; Sweden - epidemiology; Young Adult; Zoonoses - parasitology; Zoonoses - transmission; Zoonotic transmission; Sweden; HSP70; Cryptosporidium meleagridis; Zoonotic transmission; Human cryptosporidiosis; Human; Protozoa; Cryptosporidium; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Transmission; Parasite; Parasitosis; Zoonosis; Infection; Cryptosporidiosis
• ISSN: 0020-7519; 1879-0135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.08.008

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► A native human Cryptosporidium meleagridis case with suspected zoonotic transmission was investigated. ► The ssrRNA and HSP70 genes were used to compare human and animal isolates. ► The HSP70 gene from cases of human travellers were also examined. ► Zoonotic transmission was shown by identical sequences at the ssrRNA and HSP70 loci. ► Novel HSP70 genotypes were identified in the case and two travellers.
We believe that we present the first evidence of zoonotic transmission of the bird parasite, Cryptosporidium meleagridis. Despite being the third most common cause of human cryptosporidiosis, an identified zoonotic source has not been reported to date. We found Cryptosporidium oocysts in pigs, sheep/goats, hens and broiler chickens on a farm with suspected zoonotic transmission. By DNA analysis we identified C. meleagridis in samples from one human, three chickens and one hen. Sequencing of the ssrRNA and 70kDa Heat Shock Protein (HSP) genes showed identical C. meleagridis sequences in the human and chicken samples, which is evidence of zoonotic transmission. The HSP70 sequence was unique.