Prevalence and distribution of intestinal parasites, including Cryptosporidium spp. among human populations in rural and urban areas of Northern Algeria.

Abstract

Cryptosporidium spp. is one of the most common gastrointestinal parasites affecting both humans and animals. Between October and December 2022, a study was conducted in some regions in northern Algeria to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and other intestinal parasites in the human population, with a focus on transmission dynamics. A total of 641 human stool samples were collected from rural and urban areas, along with 620 targeted calves sampled from different regions in northern Algeria. The presence of Cryptosporidium was confirmed using Lugol’s and modified Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining techniques. Parasitological examinations revealed that 150 individuals (23.40%) were infected, with 63 (20.58%) in rural areas and 87 (25.90%) in urban areas. In rural settings, the prevalence was higher among children (39.21%) than among adults (11.27%). In urban areas, 25.00% of children and 27.82% of adults were infected. The identified intestinal parasites, in ascending order of prevalence, were Cryptosporidium (0.15%), Ascaris lumbricoides (4.83%), Entamoeba coli (6.24%), Giardia intestinalis (7.17%), Endolimax nana (7.02%), and Entamoeba histolytica (8.89%). Among the 620-targeted calves, 48.7% (302/620) were infected with Cryptosporidium spp., and no Giardia-positive samples were found. However, the prevalence was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in patients with diarrhoea (33.91%) than in those without diarrhoea (11.03%). Despite the high prevalence of Cryptosporidium in cattle, its prevalence in humans remains almost negligible, suggesting the existence of rigorous sanitary measures limiting zoonotic transmission.