Prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia species in animals in irrigation catchments in the southwest of Australia

Screening of 445 animal faecal samples in irrigation catchments in Western Australia (WA) was conducted to identify the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia species. Of the samples positive for Giardia duodenalis, 30.7% (12/36) were the zoonotic Assemblage A, while approximately 13% (4/30) of Cryptosporidium positives were zoonotic. This is the first finding of Giardia Assemblage A in native marsupials and birds and indicates that marsupials and possibly birds may potentially be a reservoir of zoonotic Giardia.