The fate of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts ingested by dung beetles and their possible role in the dissemination of Cryptosporidiosis

The fate of oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum ingested by dung beetles and the possible role these beetles serve in the dissemination of cryptosporidiosis were tested on the following species: Anoplotrupes stercorosus, Aphodius rufus, and Onthophagus fracticornis. Ten specimens of each species were offered cattle dung supplemented with 5.9 x 10⁶ oocysts of C. parvum. After 24 hr of feeding, the beetles were examined for the presence of oocysts on their external surfaces, in their gastrointestinal tracts, and in feces passed during the experiment. Results indicate that although many oocysts pass safely through the mouthparts and gastrointestinal tracts of the beetles, the majority of them are destroyed. Coprephagous insects can, therefore, be considered an important aspect in the ecology of gastrointestinal diseases of man and livestock, as both agents of control and dissemination.