Global prevalence of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> infections in cattle: A meta-analysis.

Abstract

The apicomplexan parasites <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp. are the causative agents of a severe diarrhoeal disease called cryptosporidiosis. <i>Cryptosporidium</i> species are capable of infecting a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including humans and livestock. In cattle, cryptosporidiosis is now one of the most important causes of neonatal scour globally, either as a sole agent or co-infecting with other pathogens. Cryptosporidiosis is considered globally endemic, with a prevalence of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> in stool samples from 13% to 93% in European cattle. This disease has a significant economic burden, with costs associated with veterinary diagnosis and medication, animal rearing, and supplemental nutrition. It is also associated with a reduced long-term growth rate in calves, causing huge economic losses in the livestock industry. Moreover, cattle act as a zoonotic reservoir for <i>Cryptosporidium parvum</i>, a species that is capable of infecting humans as well. As such, monitoring the prevalence of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp. in cattle is important due to the public health risk and financial burden the clinical disease causes. Publications reporting on the prevalence of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp. in cattle were collected from PubMed and Google Scholar. Information regarding the age of the animals, the species of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> in positive samples, the genotype of <i>C. parvum</i> found in samples, and the diarrhoeic status of the cattle was collected where available. A total of 248 publications were collected for this meta-analysis from six continents and 63 countries to provide an estimation for global bovine <i>Cryptosporidium</i> prevalence. The global prevalence of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> infection ranged between 27.0% and 37.5% in calves and pre-weaned cattle, respectively, with <i>C. parvum</i> being the most frequently identified species, particularly the IIa subfamily. Diarrhoea was reported in 7080 pre-weaned cattle samples, of which 38.1% tested positive for <i>Cryptosporidium</i>. Regarding symptoms, we found that in countries reporting over 50% of diarrhoeic positive cattle, <i>C. parvum</i> was the most common species. Continued monitoring and reporting of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp. in cattle are crucial for both public health and economic reasons. Consequently, efforts should focus on underreported regions and the development of control measures to reduce prevalence and limit zoonotic transmission.