Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cryptosporidium infection found in 3.8% of dogs in Henan China
By Jian, Fuchun et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2014·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Occurrence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium in dogs in Henan Province, China.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in Henan Province, China, found that about 3.8% of dogs tested positive for a parasite called Cryptosporidium, which can cause diarrhea. The infection rate was higher in puppies under 90 days old, reaching 8%. The researchers identified the specific type of Cryptosporidium as C. canis, which is important because it can also affect humans. While most dogs showed no symptoms, pet owners should be aware of the potential for transmission.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cryptosporidiosis in dogs has been reported worldwide, involving both asymptomatic and diarrheic dogs. Large-scale surveys of Cryptosporidium infection in dogs have been performed in some countries using different diagnostic methods. But, few data are available on the infection rate and molecular characteristics of Cryptosporidium spp. in dogs in China. RESULT: In this study, 770 fecal samples from 66 locations in Henan Province were examined. The average Cryptosporidium infection rate was 3.8%, with dogs in kennels having the highest rate of 7.0% (χ² = 14.82, P < 0.01). The infection rate was 8.0% in dogs younger than 90 days, which was significantly higher than that in the other age groups (1.1-3.8%;χ² = 18.82, P < 0.01). No association was noted between the infection rate and the sex of the dogs. Twenty-nine Cryptosporidium-positive samples were amplified at the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA), 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70), and actin loci using PCR. Sequence analysis of these amplicons identified only Cryptosporidium canis, which showed 100% identity with the published sequences of the SSU rRNA, HSP70, and actin genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that C. canis is popular in the dog population in China, considering the large number of dogs in China and the close contact between dogs and humans, the role of C. canis in the transmission of human cryptosporidiosis warrants attention.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24433398/