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Zoonotic Parasites at the Human-Animal Interface: Advances in Epidemiology, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment

A Special Issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615) belonging to the section "Veterinary Clinical Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2026) | Viewed by 2392

Editor

Dr. Swaid Abdullah

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia
Interests: zoonotic parasites; vector-borne pathogens; antiparasitic drug resistance; sustainable parasite control; One Health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Zoonotic parasitic diseases continue to pose a major global challenge, threatening both human and animal populations and impacting livelihoods worldwide. Understanding their epidemiology and transmission dynamics is critical to developing effective diagnostic and treatment strategies, as well as informed prevention and control measures, within a One Health framework.

This Special Issue aims to bring together original research and reviews that showcase recent insights into the biology, epidemiology, transmission pathways, diagnostic advancements, and treatment innovations regarding zoonotic parasites. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary studies that bridge veterinary and human medicine, public health, and environmental science.

Target areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Epidemiological and surveillance studies;
  • Host–parasite interaction studies;
  • Novel detection and diagnostic methods;
  • Molecular and immunological insights;
  • Exceptional case reports;
  • Innovative treatment and control strategies.

We invite researchers, clinicians, veterinarians, and public health professionals to contribute to this Special Issue and help advance the global understanding and control of zoonotic parasitic diseases.

Dr. Swaid Abdullah
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • zoonoses
  • one health
  • vector-borne
  • sanitation
  • wildlife
  • environment
  • disease ecology
  • transmission dynamics

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1032 KB  
Article
Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Giardia duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. in Horses in Shanxi Province, North China
by Xun-Zhi Liu, Nan Su, Wen Li, Dong-Yang Wang, Ze-Dong Zhang, Xing-Quan Zhu and Wen-Wei Gao
Animals 2026, 16(12), 1845; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16121845 - 15 Jun 2026
Viewed by 318
Abstract
Giardia duodenalis (synonyms G. lamblia and G. intestinalis) and Blastocystis sp. are prevalent zoonotic intestinal protozoans with significant public health and economic importance. Both parasites infect various hosts, including humans and most livestock. G. duodenalis can cause infections ranging from asymptomatic carriage [...] Read more.
Giardia duodenalis (synonyms G. lamblia and G. intestinalis) and Blastocystis sp. are prevalent zoonotic intestinal protozoans with significant public health and economic importance. Both parasites infect various hosts, including humans and most livestock. G. duodenalis can cause infections ranging from asymptomatic carriage to clinical manifestations such as acute diarrheal disease, growth stunting and malabsorption, whereas Blastocystsi sp. infection is often asymptomatic and its pathogenicity remains debated. Following the rapid expansion of modern equine industries (horse racing, equestrian sports, production, and tourism), concern about the spread of parasitic diseases caused by human–horse contact has gradually increased. In this study, 631 horse fecal specimens were collected from three geographical localities in Shanxi Province, North China. The prevalence and genetic characteristics of the two parasites were determined by amplification of multiple genetic loci (tpi, triosephosphate isomerase; gdh, glutamate dehydrogenase; bg, beta-giardin) for G. duodenalis and the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene for Blastocystis sp. Overall, the prevalence of G. duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. in horses in Shanxi Province was 7.9% and 0.8%, respectively. Sequence analysis identified three assemblages (A, B, and E) of G. duodenalis and two subtypes (ST1 and ST5) of Blastocystis sp. in horses; assemblage B and subtype ST1 were detected more frequently than the other types (subtypes) in this data set. This study is the first to report G. duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. infections in horses in Shanxi Province, and these findings provide baseline molecular epidemiological data for horses in Shanxi Province and support continued hygiene management to reduce potential zoonotic transmission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zoonotic Parasites at the Human-Animal Interface: Advances in Epidemiology, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment)
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17 pages, 1270 KB  
Article
Rapid Point-of-Care Detection of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in Canine Blood Using Two Direct Closed-Tube LAMP Assays
by Zsófia Bujtor, Tünde Földvári, Csaba Pribenszky, Ákos Jerzsele and Petra Zenke
Animals 2026, 16(12), 1820; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16121820 - 12 Jun 2026
Viewed by 716
Abstract
Canine dirofilariasis, caused by Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens, is an emerging vector-borne disease of increasing veterinary and zoonotic importance. Rapid and species-specific detection is essential for effective clinical management and epidemiological surveillance. This study aimed to develop and diagnostically evaluate two [...] Read more.
Canine dirofilariasis, caused by Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens, is an emerging vector-borne disease of increasing veterinary and zoonotic importance. Rapid and species-specific detection is essential for effective clinical management and epidemiological surveillance. This study aimed to develop and diagnostically evaluate two novel species-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for the direct detection of D. immitis and D. repens in canine whole blood, performed in parallel in separate reactions, with emphasis on simplified and potentially near-point-of-care applicability. Primers targeting mitochondrial COI and NADH gene regions were designed and validated. In silico specificity analysis against 13 filarioid species confirmed the absence of non-specific primer binding. A direct closed-tube LAMP protocol using sodium hydroxide–Chelex-100 lysis was optimized, enabling amplification without conventional DNA extraction while reducing contamination risk and processing time to under 60 min. Relative diagnostic performance was evaluated relative to quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) results. Using purified DNA, the D. repens assay achieved 100% relative sensitivity and relative specificity, whereas the D. immitis assay showed 94.5% relative sensitivity and 100% specificity. In direct whole-blood assays, relative specificity remained 100% for both targets, while sensitivity decreased to 90.9% for D. immitis and 77.42% for D. repens, with most false-negative reactions associated with high qPCR Ct values (>30). These findings demonstrate that the proposed assays provide a rapid and practical molecular diagnostic approach with potential applicability for point-of-care veterinary testing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zoonotic Parasites at the Human-Animal Interface: Advances in Epidemiology, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment)
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14 pages, 442 KB  
Article
Pre-Intervention Assessment of Toxocara Infection in Dogs in Vietnam: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study
by Minh-Trang Thi Hoang, Dinh Ng-Nguyen, Ketsarin Kamyingkird, Van-Phuong Ngo and Tawin Inpankaew
Animals 2026, 16(9), 1405; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16091405 - 3 May 2026
Viewed by 791
Abstract
Dogs are key reservoirs of zoonotic infections, including Toxocara canis, a widely distributed parasite of major public health concern. In Vietnam, the parasite is highly prevalent in dog populations and humans. Epidemiological studies assessing infection and associated factors are essential to better [...] Read more.
Dogs are key reservoirs of zoonotic infections, including Toxocara canis, a widely distributed parasite of major public health concern. In Vietnam, the parasite is highly prevalent in dog populations and humans. Epidemiological studies assessing infection and associated factors are essential to better understand transmission and to inform effective control strategies. We conducted a cross-sectional baseline survey to assess Toxocara infection in dogs in rural Vietnam. Fecal samples from 371 dogs were examined using centrifugal flotation (Sheather’s solution, specific gravity 1.2) and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), alongside structured questionnaires on dog demographics and management. Using combined copromicroscopic and molecular methods, the overall prevalence of Toxocara infection was 44.7% (95% CI: 39.6–50.0). By microscopy alone, 29.9% (95% CI: 25.4–34.9) of samples were positive, while PCR detected Toxocara DNA in 41.2% (95% CI: 36.2–46.5) of dogs. Molecular analysis identified T. canis in 35.9% (95% CI: 31.0–41.0) and T. cati in 10.5% (95% CI: 7.7–14.2) of tested dogs. Dog age and deworming status were independently associated with PCR-detected T. canis infection. The elevated likelihood of infection among dogs that have never been dewormed highlights the importance of canine deworming. Questionnaire findings indicating suboptimal dog care and management highlight the need for community public health education to promote responsible ownership and reduce transmission risk. This baseline assessment provides essential evidence to inform targeted interventions and improve understanding of Toxocara transmission in endemic settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zoonotic Parasites at the Human-Animal Interface: Advances in Epidemiology, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment)
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