Molecular characteristics and zoonotic potential of enteric protists in domestic dogs and cats in Egypt.

INTRODUCTION

Domestic dogs and cats can be a source of human infection by a wide diversity of zoonotic pathogens including parasites. Genotyping and subtyping tools are useful in assessing the true public health relevance of canine and feline infections by these pathogens. This study investigated the occurrence, genetic diversity, and zoonotic potential of common diarrhea-causing enteric protist parasites in household dogs and cats in Egypt, a country where this information is particularly scarce.

METHODS

In this prospective, cross-sectional study a total of 352 individual fecal samples were collected from dogs ( = 218) and cats ( = 134) in three Egyptian governorates (Dakahlia, Gharbeya, and Giza) during July-December 2021. Detection and identification of spp., , , and sp. were carried out by PCR and Sanger sequencing. Basic epidemiological variables (geographical origin, sex, age, and breed) were examined for association with occurrence of infection by enteric protists.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The overall prevalence rates of spp. and were 1.8% (95% CI: 0.5-4.6) and 38.5% (95% CI: 32.0-45.3), respectively, in dogs, and 6.0% (95% CI: 2.6-11.4) and 32.1% (95% CI: 24.3-40.7), respectively, in cats. All canine and feline fecal samples analyzed tested negative for and sp. Dogs from Giza governorate and cats from Dakahlia governorate were at higher risk of infection by spp. ( = 0.0006) and ( = 0.00001), respectively. Sequence analyses identified host-adapted ( = 4, one of them belonging to novel subtype XXe2) and assemblages C ( = 1) and D ( = 3) in dogs. In cats the zoonotic ( = 5) was more prevalent than host-adapted ( = 1). Household dogs had a limited (but not negligible) role as source of human giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis, but the unexpected high frequency of zoonotic in domestic cats might be a public health concern. This is the first molecular-based description of spp. infections in cats in the African continent to date. Molecular epidemiological data provided here can assist health authorities and policy makers in designing and implementing effective campaigns to minimize the transmission of enteric protists in Egypt.