Giardia and Cryptosporidium in mammalian wildlife--current status and future needs

Trends Parasitol. 2005 Aug;21(8):370-6. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2005.06.004.

Abstract

Environmental pollution with human and domestic-animal fecal material is recognized as a potential pathogen pathway for wildlife infections with zooanthropomorphic protozoan parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium. In this article, we review current knowledge about the diversity of free-living and captive terrestrial and marine mammalian wildlife species infected with Giardia and Cryptosporidium. The combination of prevalence studies with modern molecular-genotyping techniques is providing valuable insights into the host specificity and possible transmission routes of these two important parasites.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / parasitology*
  • Cryptosporidiosis / epidemiology
  • Cryptosporidiosis / parasitology
  • Cryptosporidiosis / transmission
  • Cryptosporidiosis / veterinary*
  • Cryptosporidium / growth & development*
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Giardia / growth & development*
  • Giardiasis / epidemiology
  • Giardiasis / parasitology
  • Giardiasis / transmission
  • Giardiasis / veterinary*
  • Mammals / parasitology*
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses / parasitology
  • Zoonoses / transmission