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Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

CP23.1: Zoonoses & One Health 2 - 10 min talks
Location: Lecture Theatre 3
Session Chair: Catherine Gordon, QIMR Berghofer
Session Chair: Fasil Shiferaw, QIMR Berghofer

Presentation 2

Zoonotic Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Australian dairy goats: a national molecular epidemiological study

Endris Ali¹, Anson Koehler¹, Abdul Ghafar¹, Mark Stevenson¹, Sandra Baxendell², Ian Beveridge¹, Robin Gasser¹, Abdul Jabbar¹

1: The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; 2: Goat Veterinary Consultancies – goatvetoz, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are globally important enteric protozoa with broad host ranges and significant One Health implications. However, molecular epidemiological data in Australian goats remain limited. This study investigated the molecular prevalence, species composition and genotype diversity of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Australian dairy goats. A cross-sectional survey (2023–2024) was conducted involving 386 goats (4 weeks–12 months old) from 61 dairy herds across six states. DNA samples were analysed using nested PCR and Sanger sequencing for species and assemblage identification. Cryptosporidium was detected in 6.5% of samples and Giardia in 9.3%. Three Cryptosporidium species were identified: Cryptosporidium xiaoi, C. ubiquitum, and C. muris, with the latter two recognised as zoonotic. Giardia duodenalis assemblages AI and E were detected, including five novel assemblage E variants. C. muris and a zoonotic Giardia sub-assemblage AI are reported for the first time in Australian goats, alongside two novel C. xiaoi genotypes. Although overall prevalence was low, the detection of zoonotic genotypes highlights the role of young goats as reservoirs for infection. The absence of C. parvum, a major zoonotic species globally, suggests distinct regional transmission dynamics. These findings provide baseline molecular data to inform surveillance, risk assessment and One Health management strategies in Australia.