Human Diarrhea Parasite Found Lurking in Piglets

An intestinal parasite that causes diarrhea in humans also makes its home in pigs.

The existence of the single-celled parasite, Dientamoeba fragilis, in pigs is important, the researchers explain, because it might mean pig feces are one way the parasite has been spreading to humans. More than a billion pigs are housed in farms across the world.

In developed countries, D. fragilis infection rates in people hover around 2 percent to 4 percent. But in developing countries where waste disposal is poor, infection rates of between 19 percent and 69 percent have been reported. Travelers to these countries also often fall prey to the parasite. Infection is sometimes asymptomatic, but it can also cause diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Few animal hosts, or "reservoirs," for D. fragilis had been discovered, researchers reported today (April 11) in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pigs in Italy, however, were reported as having high infection rates. So Italian scientists collected and analyzed 152 fecal samples from nine farms. They found that 52 of 74 piglets, 11 of 14 pigs at the "fattening" stage. and eight of 64 sows tested positive for D. fragilis. Young animals appeared to be most susceptible.

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