Genetic Diversity of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> Species in Different Hosts in Africa: A Systematic Review
<i>Cryptosporidium</i> species are protozoan parasites of veterinary and medical importance that infect a wide range of vertebrates globally. Primarily, the mode of infection is typically ingestion of sporulated oocysts, and the risk of transmission to susceptible host is increased by en...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Parasitologia |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6772/4/4/36 |
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| Summary: | <i>Cryptosporidium</i> species are protozoan parasites of veterinary and medical importance that infect a wide range of vertebrates globally. Primarily, the mode of infection is typically ingestion of sporulated oocysts, and the risk of transmission to susceptible host is increased by environmental contamination with sporulated oocysts. This systematic review aims to provide a summary of the available data on <i>Cryptosporidium</i> genotypes in Africa. A systematic research of literature on four electronic databases, including Scopus Web of Science, Science Direct, and AJOL, was performed for the determination of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> genotypes in animal and human hosts across Africa between January 2000 to August 2023. All published studies were screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Overall, 131 <i>Cryptosporidium</i> genotypes were generated from the 47 articles included in this study, which cut across 14 African countries. <i>Cryptosporidium</i> genotypes were reported across all regions within the African continent, such as northern, eastern, western, central, and southern Africa. <i>Cryptosporidium hominis</i> (Ia, Ib, Id, Ie, If, Ih, Ii, and Ik) genotypes were the most dominant, with <i>C. hominis</i> subfamily Ia genotypes reported across all African regions, which indicates high diversity of these subfamilies on the continent. <i>Cryptosporidium parvum</i> (IIa, IIb, IIc, IId, IIe, IIm, and IIi) genotypes were the second dominant genotypes reported, with <i>C. parvum</i> subfamily IIa genotypes having a high diversity across all the African regions with the exception of southern Africa. <i>C. parvum</i> subfamily IIc (IIcA5G3b), which is known to circulate among humans, was reported in a study on dogs in Nigeria. Other documented species of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> with known subtypes in Africa include <i>C. meleagridis</i> (IIIb, IIId, and IIIg), C. <i>cuniculus</i> (Vb), C. <i>ubiquitum</i> (XIIa), <i>C.</i>), and C. <i>erinacei</i> (XIIIa) genotypes. In conclusion, findings from this review have elucidated the <i>Cryptosporidium</i> species and subtypes within the African continent across humans and multiple animal hosts, implying the diversity of this parasites and its ability to infect wide host ranges. |
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| ISSN: | 2673-6772 |