The role of Felidae in the environmental dissemination of human pathogenic unicelular parasites

One hundred cats at different levels of habituation, house kept and free living, from Czech republic were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium, Encephalitozoon spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi to consider the risk of close human - cat contact on cryptosporidial and microsporidial infections. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium, Encephalitozoon, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in cats was determined from fecal specimens by genus-specific PCR. All PCR-positive specimens were sequenced to determine the genotype present. Out of 100 cats, three (3 %) were positive for Cryptosporidium, namely C. felis. Nine cats (9 %) were infected with E. bieneusi genotype D. None out of 35 house kept cats was infected with any tested parasites. No effect of age of animals on occurrence both Cryptosporidium and microsporidia was proved. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of zoonotic species/genotypes of Cryptosporidium, and E. bieneusi in cats in the Czech republic