Zoonotic parasites in farmed exotic animals in China: Implications to public health - PubMed (original) (raw)

Zoonotic parasites in farmed exotic animals in China: Implications to public health

Yaqiong Guo et al. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2021.

Abstract

Several species of wild mammals are farmed in China as part of the rural development and poverty alleviation, including fur animals, bamboo rats, and macaque monkeys. Concerns have been raised on the potential dispersal of pathogens to humans and other farm animals brought in from native habitats. Numerous studies have been conducted on the genetic identity and public health potential of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in these newly farmed exotic animals. The data generated have shown a high prevalence of the pathogens in farmed wildlife, probably due to the stress from the short captivity and congregation of large numbers of susceptible animals. Host adaptation at species/genotype and subtype levels has reduced the potential for cross-species and zoonotic transmission of pathogens, but the farm environment appears to favor the transmission of some species, genotypes, and subtypes, with reduced pathogen diversity compared with their wild relatives. Most genotypes and subtypes of the pathogens detected appear to be brought in from their native habitats. A few of the subtypes have emerged as human pathogens. One Health measures should be developed to slow the dispersal of indigenous pathogens among farmed exotic animals and prevent their spillover to other farm animals and humans.

Keywords: Cryptosporidium; Enterocytozoon bieneusi; Giardia duodenalis; One health; Wildlife farming; Zoonosis.

© 2021 The Author(s).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest with this work.

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Graphical abstract

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