Molecular Detection and Distribution of and spp. Infections in Wild and Domestic Animals in Portugal.

Enteric protozoan parasites , spp., and, to a lesser extent, the ciliate are responsible for severe human and animal intestinal disorders globally. However, limited information is available on the occurrence and epidemiology of these parasites in domestic, but especially wild species in Portugal. To fill this gap of knowledge, we have investigated , spp., and occurrence, distribution, genetic diversity, and zoonotic potential by analyzing 756 fecal samples from several wild carnivores ( = 288), wild ungulates ( = 242), and domestic species ( = 226) collected across different areas of mainland Portugal. Overall, infection rates were 16.1% (122/756; 95% CI: 13.59-18.96) for and 2.7% (20/756; CI: 1.62-4.06) for spp., while no ungulate sample analyzed yielded positive results for was found across a wide range of hosts and sampling areas, being most prevalent in the Iberian lynx (26.7%), the Iberian wolf (24.0%), and the domestic dog (23.9%). spp. was only identified in wild boar (8.4%), red fox (3.4%), Iberian lynx (3.3%), red deer (3.1%), and Iberian wolf (2.5%). Sequence analysis of determined zoonotic assemblage A (subassemblage AI) in one roe deer sample, canine-specific assemblages C and D in Iberian wolf, red fox, and domestic dog, and ungulate-specific assemblage E in wild boar, sheep, cattle, and horse. Six species were identified: in wild boar, in the Iberian wolf and red fox, in red deer and wild boar, in the Iberian lynx, and both and in red deer. and spp. coinfections were observed in 0.7% (5/756) of the samples. This is the first, most comprehensive, and largest molecular-based epidemiology study of its kind carried out in Portugal, covering a wide range of wild and domestic hosts and sampling areas. The detection of zoonotic spp. and subassemblage AI demonstrates the role of wild and domestic host species in the transmission of these agents while representing a potential source of environmental contamination for other animals and humans.