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Background <p><i>Cryptosporidium</i> and <i>Giardia</i> are protozoan parasites that cause significant diarrheal diseases. Small mammals are potential reservoirs for their zoonotic transmission. The Tibetan Plateau alpine ecosystem harbors diverse and abundant small wild mammals, but their roles in the transmission of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> and <i>Giardia</i> remain inadequately studied.</p> Methods <p>Field sampling was conducted in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, in 2023. Small wild mammals were captured and morphologically identified. Fecal DNA was screened for <i>Cryptosporidium</i> and <i>Giardia</i> with nested-PCR targeting the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene and the beta-giardin (<i>bg</i>) gene, respectively. Positive DNA samples were sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. Differences in prevalence were assessed with the chi-square test.</p> Results <p>In total, 336 small wild mammals were collected, dominated by <i>Neodon fuscus</i> (175/336, 52.1%) and <i>Ochotona curzoniae</i> (106/336, 31.5%). <i>Cryptosporidium</i> infection was detected in 22.3% (75/336) of the small mammals, with marginally higher prevalence in <i>N. fuscus</i> (44/175, 25.1%) than in <i>O. curzoniae</i> (17/106, 16.0%; χ² = 3.220, <i>p</i> = 0.073). Six species/genotypes were identified: zoonotic <i>C</i>. <i>suis</i> (<i>n</i> = 25) and <i>C. canis</i> (<i>n</i> = 6), and non-zoonotic muskrat genotype II (<i>n</i> = 26), yak genotype (<i>n</i> = 10), muskrat genotype I (<i>n</i> = 4), and <i>Cryptosporidium</i> sp. MT524977 (<i>n</i> = 4). The overall prevalence of <i>Giardia</i> was 8.3% (28/336), with similar prevalence in <i>N. fuscus</i> (17/175, 9.7%) and <i>O. curzoniae</i> (10/106, 9.4%, χ² = 0.006, <i>p</i> = 0.938). Non-zoonotic <i>G. microti</i> (<i>n</i> = 3) and four unclassified <i>Giardia</i> spp.: <i>Giardia</i> sp. OR770651 (<i>n</i> = 13), <i>Giardia</i> sp. PQ604631 (<i>n</i> = 7), <i>Giardia</i> sp. MG676959 (<i>n</i> = 3), and <i>Giardia</i> sp. OP963933 (<i>n</i> = 2) were identified. <i>Neodon fuscus</i> harbored greater <i>Giardia</i> diversity (all five <i>Giardia</i> spp.) than <i>O. curzoniae</i> (only <i>Giardia</i> sp. OR770651).</p> Conclusions <p>This study demonstrates a high <i>Cryptosporidium</i> prevalence in small wild mammals on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, suggesting potential zoonotic risks to humans and livestock. <i>Giardia</i> exhibited host-specific infection patterns, indicating possible niche adaptation that warrants further investigation. These findings expand the host range and geographic distribution of these parasites and help elucidate their transmission dynamics in alpine ecosystems.</p>

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Infections and genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in small wild mammals on the Eastern Tibetan plateau: public health implications

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月2日

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  • Qingqiu Zuo,
  • Zhuoma Bianba,
  • Chuizhao Xue,
  • Hua Liu,
  • Xiaoxue Peng,
  • Hao Zhou,
  • Xiaocheng Zhang,
  • Quan Chen,
  • Mengqing Li,
  • Yang Yang,
  • Yan Zhou,
  • Jianping Cao,
  • Jianhai Yin,
  • Xu Wang,
  • Yujuan Shen

摘要

Background

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are protozoan parasites that cause significant diarrheal diseases. Small mammals are potential reservoirs for their zoonotic transmission. The Tibetan Plateau alpine ecosystem harbors diverse and abundant small wild mammals, but their roles in the transmission of Cryptosporidium and Giardia remain inadequately studied.

Methods

Field sampling was conducted in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, in 2023. Small wild mammals were captured and morphologically identified. Fecal DNA was screened for Cryptosporidium and Giardia with nested-PCR targeting the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene and the beta-giardin (bg) gene, respectively. Positive DNA samples were sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. Differences in prevalence were assessed with the chi-square test.

Results

In total, 336 small wild mammals were collected, dominated by Neodon fuscus (175/336, 52.1%) and Ochotona curzoniae (106/336, 31.5%). Cryptosporidium infection was detected in 22.3% (75/336) of the small mammals, with marginally higher prevalence in N. fuscus (44/175, 25.1%) than in O. curzoniae (17/106, 16.0%; χ² = 3.220, p = 0.073). Six species/genotypes were identified: zoonotic C. suis (n = 25) and C. canis (n = 6), and non-zoonotic muskrat genotype II (n = 26), yak genotype (n = 10), muskrat genotype I (n = 4), and Cryptosporidium sp. MT524977 (n = 4). The overall prevalence of Giardia was 8.3% (28/336), with similar prevalence in N. fuscus (17/175, 9.7%) and O. curzoniae (10/106, 9.4%, χ² = 0.006, p = 0.938). Non-zoonotic G. microti (n = 3) and four unclassified Giardia spp.: Giardia sp. OR770651 (n = 13), Giardia sp. PQ604631 (n = 7), Giardia sp. MG676959 (n = 3), and Giardia sp. OP963933 (n = 2) were identified. Neodon fuscus harbored greater Giardia diversity (all five Giardia spp.) than O. curzoniae (only Giardia sp. OR770651).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a high Cryptosporidium prevalence in small wild mammals on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, suggesting potential zoonotic risks to humans and livestock. Giardia exhibited host-specific infection patterns, indicating possible niche adaptation that warrants further investigation. These findings expand the host range and geographic distribution of these parasites and help elucidate their transmission dynamics in alpine ecosystems.