Zoonotic protozoa in diarrheic cats from the midwest of Brazil

Diarrhea, especially that of infectious origin, is a common problem in feline medicine. However, identifying a causative agent is difficult in routine clinical practice due to the many pathogens that lead to non-specific clinical signs. Among the various gastrointestinal parasites, protozoa, such as Giardia duodenalis (Lambl, 1859) and Cryptosporidium spp. (Tyzzer, 1907), pose a great threat because of their pathogenicity, prevalence in domestic animals, and zoonotic potential. This study aimed to report the occurrence of intestinal protozoa, G. duodenalis, and Cryptosporidium spp., in cats from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Fecal samples and clinical and epidemiological data were obtained from 60 patients with diarrhea. Samples were subjected to DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify the protozoa. Protozoa-positive samples were subjected to DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. PCR assays revealed that one sample (1.67 %) was positive for G. duodenalis, and four samples (6.67 %) contained Cryptosporidium spp. G. duodenalis assemblage B and Cryptosporidium felis (Iseki, 1979) were identified through amplicon DNA sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis. This is the first report of C. felis and G. duodenalis (assemblage B) in cats in Mato Grosso do Sul, central-western Brazil.