Cryptosporidium species in Australian wildlife and domestic animals

SUMMARYCryptosporidiumis an important enteric parasite that is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, water and food. Humans, wildlife and domestic livestock all potentially contributeCryptosporidiumto surface waters. Most species ofCryptosporidiumare morphologically indistinguishable and can only be identified using molecular tools. Over 24 species have been identified and of these, 7Cryptosporidiumspecies/genotypes are responsible for most human cryptosporidiosis cases. In Australia, relatively few genotyping studies have been conducted. SixCryptosporidiumspecies (C. hominis,C. parvum,C. meleagridis,C. fayeri,C. andersoniandC. bovis)have been identified in humans in Australia. However, little is known about the contribution of animal hosts to human pathogenic strains ofCryptosporidiumin drinking water catchments. In this review, we focus on the available genotyping data for native, feral and domestic animals inhabiting drinking water catchments in Australia to provide an improved understanding of the public health implications and to identify key research gaps.