Molecular detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle in southern Zhejiang Province, China: Prevalence and genetic characteristics.

Cryptosporidium sp. is a genus of parasitic protozoa that infects the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals, potentially leading to zoonotic transmission. A molecular investigation was carried out on Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle reared in southern Zhejiang Province, China, to elucidate its epidemiology. A total of 265 fresh cattle fecal specimens were collected and subjected to detection of Cryptosporidium spp. via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing of its small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. Specimens testing positive for C. parvum were further analyzed using nested PCR targeting its 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene. Among the 265 samples, 19 (7.2%) yielded positive test results. Four species of Cryptosporidium were identified: C. bovis (n = 8), C. ryanae (n = 7), C. occultus (n = 3), and C. parvum (n = 1) with subtype IIdA19G1. As the first report of Cryptosporidium in cattle from southern Zhejiang Province, the detection of zoonotic C. parvum at low prevalence suggests a limited but non-negligible public health risk rather than an urgent threat.