Molecular Detection and Distribution of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. Infections in Wild and Domestic Animals in Portugal

Table 3

Prevalence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. according to the host species and geographical origin found in the present study.

Variables	No. of samples examined	Giardia duodenalis (%)	95% CI	P-value	Cryptosporidium spp. (%)	95% CI	P-value
Hosts				0.008			0.005
Wild carnivores
Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus)	121	31 (25.6)	18.1–34.4		3 (2.5)	0.5–7.1
Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)	30	8 (26.7)	12.3–45.9		1 (3.3)	0.1–17.2
Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)	118	22 (18.6)	12.1–26.9		4 (3.4)	0.9–8.5
Stone marten (Martes foina)	19	3 (15.8)	3.4–39.6		0	–
Subtotal Wild ungulates	288	62 (21.5)	16.9–26.7		8 (2.8)	1.2–5.4
Red deer (Cervus elaphus)	96	4 (4.2)	1.2–10.3		3 (3.1)	0.7–8.9
Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)	39	4 (10.3)	2.9–24.2		0	–
Wild boar (Sus scrofa)	107	16 (15.0)	8.8–23.1		9 (8.4)	3.9–15.4
Subtotal	242	24 (9.9)	6.5–14.4		12 (5.0)	2.6–8.5
Domestic animals
Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)	46	11 (23.9)	12.6–38.8		0	–
Horse (Equus caballus)	26	2 (7.7)	1.0–25.1		0	–
Cattle (Bos taurus)	87	13 (14.9)	8.2–24.2		0	–
Sheep (Ovis aries)	46	8 (17.4)	7.8–31.4		0	–
Goat (Capra hircus)	21	0	–		0	–
Subtotal	226	34 (15.0)	10.7–20.4		0	–
Study areas				0.003			0.020
Montesinho Natural Park	215	44 (20.5)	15.3–26.5		13 (6.0)	3.4–10.1
Central Portugal West	249	48 (19.3)	14.6–24.7		2 (0.8)	0.1–2.9
Central Portugal East	102	15 (14.7)	8.5–23.1		2 (2.0)	0.2–6.9
Faia Brava Reserve	60	5 (8.3)	2.8–18.4		0	–
Lousã Mountains	61	0	–		2 (3.3)	0.4–11.4
Malcata Nature Reserve	39	2 (5.1)	0.6–17.3		0	–
Guadiana Valley	30	8 (26.7)	12.3–45.9		1 (3.3)	0.1–17.2
TOTAL	756	122 (16.1)	13.6–19.0		20 (2.7)	1.6–4.1

Note. 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are indicated. Values in bold represent statistical significance.