Molecular characterization of zoonotic pathogens Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in calves in Algeria

- Pre-weaned dairy calves were examined for Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi
- Cryptosporidium was found in 14/108 specimens, with C. parvum IIaA16G2R1 and IIaA17G3R1 subtypes dominating.
- G. duodenalis was found in 28/108 specimens, including host-specific assemblage E and zoonotic assemblage A
- Six known genotypes of E. bieneusi in Group 2 were identified in 11/108 specimens
- Diarrhea was associated with the occurrence of C. parvum

Little is known on the identity and public health potential of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in farm animals in Algeria. In this study, 102 fecal specimens from pre-weaned dairy calves with or without diarrhea were collected from 19 dairy farms located in 6 provinces. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the small subunit rRNA gene was used to detect and differentiate Cryptosporidium spp., whereas PCR-sequence analysis of the triosephosphate isomerase gene and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer were used to detect and genotype G. duodenalis and E. bieneusi, respectively. Cryptosporidium was found in 14 specimens, among which 7 had C. parvum, 4 had C. bovis, and 3 had mixed infection of C. parvum and C. bovis or C. bovis and C. andersoni. Subtyping of C. parvum by PCR-sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein gene identified two zoonotic subtypes IIaA16G2R1 and IIaA17G3R1. G. duodenalis was found in 28 specimens, with 6 having the host-specific assemblage E, 14 having the zoonotic assemblage A (all belonging to A2 subtype), and 8 having mixed assemblages. Six known genotypes of E. bieneusi belonging to Group 2, including I, J, BEB3, BEB4, BEB6 and PtEb XI, were identified in 11 specimens. Diarrhea was mostly associated with the occurrence of C. parvum. Data from this study suggest that human-pathogenic C. parvum subtypes and G. duodenalis and E. bieneusi genotypes are common on dairy farms in Algeria.