Genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium in animal and human isolates from Jordan

- First genotyping study of Cryptosporidium in animals in Jordan.
- Faecal samples (n = 284) from domestic animals and humans (n = 48) screened.
- Overall prevalence of 11.6% in animals and six species detected.
- Novel Cryptosporidium genotype detected in horses.

Little is known about the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium in Jordan and to date, only one genotyping study has been conducted on Cryptosporidium isolates from Jordanian children. In the present study, a total of 284 faecal samples from Jordanian cattle, sheep, goats and chicken and 48 human faecal samples were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium using an 18S quantitative PCR (qPCR) and a C. parvum/C. hominis specific qPCR at a lectin locus. Of these, 37 of 284 animal faecal samples were positive by qPCR at the 18S locus giving an overall prevalence of 11.6%. The point prevalence of Cryptosporidium in chickens, sheep, horses, cattle and goats ranged from 4.8% (chickens) to 18.7% (cattle). A total of six species were detected; C. xiaoi (n = 9), C. andersoni (n = 7), C. ryanae (n = 5), C. parvum (n = 4), C. baileyi (n = 1) and a genetically distinct and potentially novel species in two isolates from horses. Sub-genotype analysis of the 4 C. parvum isolates at the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) locus identified subtype IIaA19G2R1 (n = 2) and IIaA16GR1 (n = 2). For the human samples, 4 positives (8.3% prevalence) were detected. Of these, two were C. parvum (subtypes IIdA20G1 and IIaA15G2R1) and two were C. hominis (subtypes 1bA9G3 and 1bA10G2R2). Further studies are required to better understand the epidemiology and transmission of Cryptosporidium in Jordan.