TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence, infection intensity and genotyping of Giardia duodenalis in ring-tailed lemurs Lemur catta from European zoos and wild populations

AU - Fomsgaard, Anna S.

AU - Bornbusch, Sally L.

AU - Bueno, Gabrielle L.

AU - Noromalala, Eliette

AU - Poulsen, Michael

AU - Rasmussen, Morten

AU - Rosenstierne, Maiken W.

AU - Stensvold, Christen R.

AU - Wright, Patricia

AU - Hvilsom, Christina

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Globally, Giardia duodenalis is probably the most common intestinal protozoan parasite infecting humans and it appears also to be common in some zoo-housed primates. Infected zoo animals present a risk for potential spill-over of zoonotic pathogens to co-residing animals, staff and visitors. Using quantitative PCR, this study compared Giardia spp. prevalence and infection intensity in wild and zoo-housed ring-tailed lemurs Lemur catta. Infection intensity of zoo-housed ring-tailed lemurs (prevalence=88.6%, median Ct value=31.1, IQR=27.1-34.5) was significantly higher (P>0.01) than in wild ring-tailed lemurs (prevalence=20.0%, median Ct value=37.7, IQR=37.5-38.7), where little or no Giardia was found. Comparison of the enclosure designs showed both a higher prevalence and significantly higher intensity (P>0.005) of Giardia infections in zoos with walk-through enclosures (prevalence=89%, median Ct value=28.6, IQR=26.5-32.3) compared to traditional enclosures (prevalence=65%, median Ct value=35.2, IQR=33.3-37.8), but there was substantial variation within groups. The potentially zoonotic G. duodenalis assemblage B was identified in samples from five zoos. These findings suggest that ring-tailed lemurs may be asymptomatic carriers of G. duodenalis and a higher parasitic load might occur in lemurs held in walk-through enclosures.

AB - Globally, Giardia duodenalis is probably the most common intestinal protozoan parasite infecting humans and it appears also to be common in some zoo-housed primates. Infected zoo animals present a risk for potential spill-over of zoonotic pathogens to co-residing animals, staff and visitors. Using quantitative PCR, this study compared Giardia spp. prevalence and infection intensity in wild and zoo-housed ring-tailed lemurs Lemur catta. Infection intensity of zoo-housed ring-tailed lemurs (prevalence=88.6%, median Ct value=31.1, IQR=27.1-34.5) was significantly higher (P>0.01) than in wild ring-tailed lemurs (prevalence=20.0%, median Ct value=37.7, IQR=37.5-38.7), where little or no Giardia was found. Comparison of the enclosure designs showed both a higher prevalence and significantly higher intensity (P>0.005) of Giardia infections in zoos with walk-through enclosures (prevalence=89%, median Ct value=28.6, IQR=26.5-32.3) compared to traditional enclosures (prevalence=65%, median Ct value=35.2, IQR=33.3-37.8), but there was substantial variation within groups. The potentially zoonotic G. duodenalis assemblage B was identified in samples from five zoos. These findings suggest that ring-tailed lemurs may be asymptomatic carriers of G. duodenalis and a higher parasitic load might occur in lemurs held in walk-through enclosures.

KW - diarrhoea

KW - enclosure design

KW - Madagascar

KW - parasitology

KW - zoonoses

KW - zoo populations

KW - NONHUMAN-PRIMATES

KW - PCR

KW - CRYPTOSPORIDIUM

KW - PARK

U2 - 10.19227/jzar.v8i4.509

DO - 10.19227/jzar.v8i4.509

M3 - Journal article

VL - 8

SP - 253

EP - 258

JO - The Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research

JF - The Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research

SN - 2214-7594

IS - 4

ER -