Molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in humans on Prince Edward Island, Canada: evidence of zoonotic transmission from cattle

Abstract

To determine the zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, 658 human faecal specimens were screened that were submitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital diagnostic laboratory. Overall, 143 (22%) samples were Cryptosporidium positive, while three (0.5%) were positive for Giardia. Successful genotyping of 25 Cryptosporidium isolates by sequence analysis of the HSP70 gene revealed that 28 and 72% were C. hominis and C. parvum, respectively. Cryptosporidium isolates from humans and previously genotyped C. parvum from beef cattle were subtyped by sequence analysis of the GP60 gene. Subtyping identified three subtypes belonging to the family IIa. All three subtypes IIaA16G2RI (55%), IIaA16G3RI (22%) and IIaA15G2RI (22%) were found in the animal isolates, while two of the subtypes found in the animals, IIaA16G2RI (80%) and IIaA15G2RI (20%), were also identified in the human isolates. Cryptosporidium infection in humans peaked in April-June. Molecular epidemiological analysis of the human data showed a C. parvum peak in the spring and a relatively smaller peak for C. hominis in July-September. The majority (57%) of human Cryptosporidium isolates were found in children between 5 and 10 years of age. All three Giardia isolates were identified as G. duodenalis assemblage A. The overall Cryptosporidium prevalence in our human samples was high relative to other studies, but because the samples were submitted to a hospital diagnostic laboratory, the results may not be representative of the general population. Further, the presence of the same zoonotic C. parvum subtypes in cattle and human isolates implies that transmission is largely zoonotic and cattle may be a source of sporadic human infections on PEI. The presence of Giardia in people on PEI is rare, and the assemblage A found in humans might originate from humans, livestock or other domestic or wild animals.