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. 2015 Oct 6:5:28463.
doi: 10.3402/iee.v5.28463. eCollection 2015.

Possible zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium felis in a household

Jessica Beser  1 , Linda Toresson  2 , Rickard Eitrem  3 , Karin Troell  4 , Jadwiga Winiecka-Krusnell  5 , Marianne Lebbad  5
Affiliations

Possible zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium felis in a household

Jessica Beser et al. Infect Ecol Epidemiol. .

Abstract

In humans, the risk of contracting cryptosporidiosis caused by Cryptosporidium felis is considered to be relatively low, and most of the confirmed cases have been observed in immunocompromised patients. Both anthroponotic and zoonotic transmission routes have been suggested. Here, we report a case of suspected zoonotic transmission of C. felis from a cat to a human. The cat developed diarrhea several months before such symptoms were displayed by its owner, a 37-year-old immunocompetent woman. The presence of identical C. felis SSU rRNA, HSP70, and COWP gene sequences was verified in both hosts. In conclusion, it is highly probable that the cat was the initial source of infection and not the opposite. Our results show that Cryptosporidium infection can be transmitted from pets to humans and that molecular analysis is needed to confirm the identity of the oocysts.

Keywords: Cryptosporidium felis; cryptosporidiosis; molecular characterization; zoonotic transmission.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Investigation of C. felis transmission.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The cat at different ages: (a) 12 weeks old, healthy; (b) 5 months old, with chronic diarrhea; (c) 1 year old, healthy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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