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Abstract Background Enteric parasitic infections remain a major public health problem globally. Cryptosporidium spp., Cyclospora spp. and Giardia spp. are parasites that cause diarrhea in the general populations of both developed and developing countries. Information from molecular genetic studies on the speciation of these parasites and on the role of animals as vectors in disease transmission is lacking in Ghana. This study therefore investigated these diarrhea-causing parasites in humans, domestic rats and wildlife animals in Ghana using molecular tools. Methods Fecal samples were collected from asymptomatic school children aged 9–12 years living around the Shai Hills Resource Reserve (tourist site), from wildlife (zebras, kobs, baboons, ostriches, bush rats and bush bucks) at the same site, from warthogs at the Mole National Park (tourist site) and from rats at the Madina Market (a popular vegetable market in Accra, Ghana. The 18S rRNA gene (18S rRNA) and 60-kDa glycoprotein gene (gp60) for Cryptosporidium spp., the glutamate dehydrogenase gene (gdh) for Giardia spp. and the 18S rDNA for Cyclospora spp. were analyzed in all samples by PCR and Sanger sequencing as markers of speciation and genetic diversity. Results The parasite species identified in the fecal samples collected from humans and animals included the Cryptosporidium species C. hominis, C. muris, C. parvum, C. tyzzeri, C. meleagridis and C. andersoni; the Cyclopora species C. cayetanensis; and the Gardia species, G. lamblia and G. muris. For Cryptosporidium, the presence of the gp60 gene confirmed the finding of C. parvum (41%, 35/85 samples) and C. hominis (29%, 27/85 samples) in animal samples. Cyclospora cayetanensis was found in animal samples for the first time in Ghana. Only one human sample (5%, 1/20) but the majority of animal samples (58%, 51/88) had all three parasite species in the samples tested. Conclusions Based on these results of fecal sample testing for parasites, we conclude that animals and human share species of the three genera (Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Giardia), with the parasitic species mostly found in animals also found in human samples, and vice-versa. The presence of enteric parasites as mixed infections in asymptomatic humans and animal species indicates that they are reservoirs of infections. This is the first study to report the presence of C. cayetanensis and C. hominis in animals from Ghana. Our findings highlight the need for a detailed description of these parasites using high-throughput genetic tools to further understand these parasites and the neglected tropical diseases they cause in Ghana where such information is scanty. Graphical Abstract |
