Infection And Genotype Distribution Of Important Intestinal Protozoa In Pet Dogs And Cats In Partial Areas Of Yunnan Province

Enterocytozoon bieneusi,Cryptosporidium spp.and Giardia lamblia are important zoonotic intestinal pathogens,they can infect many animals,such as humans,livestock and pets.Dogs and cats contact with humans frequently and closely as pets,thus are important hosts of these pathogens.The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and examine the genotype distribution of Enterocytozoon bieneusi,Cryptosporidium spp.and Giardia lamblia in pet dogs and cats in Yunnan province,southwestern China,and to assess their zoonotic potential.In this study,we collected 433 fecal samples,including 262 pet dogs and 171 pet cats,from pet hospitals,pet markets and animal shelter in Yunnan province,southwestern China.The present study investigated the prevalence and the genotypes of E.bieneusi,Cryptosporidium spp.and G.lamblia by nested PCR amplification and DNA sequencing,and compared differences in infection rates among living conditions,age,gender or source of dogs and cats by X~2 test.The E.bieneusi,Cryptosporidium spp.and G.lamblia prevalence was 8.0%,4.6%and13.7%in dogs,and 2.3%,0.6%and 1.2%in cats,respectively.The results of this study showed that infection rates of these pathogens in dogs from animal shelter were higher than those in pet hospital and pet markets,and infection rates of the pathogens in cats from animal shelter and pet hospital had no significant differences.In addition,the infection rates had no significant differences among age,gender and source groups.The results of the present study suggested that poor living conditions and insufficient sanitary control in animal shelter may be risk factors in the transmission of E.bieneusi,Cryptosporidium spp.and G.lamblia in pet dogs.E.bieneusi genotypes Pt Eb IX,CD9 and C.canis were found in dogs and Pt Eb IX was the dominant genotype.E.bieneusi genotypes Type IV and C.felis were found in cats.Besides,the results revealed the presence of G.lamblia assemblages C and D in dogs,and assemblage F in cats.In the present study,the zoonotic Type IV of E.bieneusi and zoonotic species of C.canis and C.felis were found in companion animals.These results suggested that pet dogs and cats could be potential reservoirs for human infections of E.bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp.