Animal Reservoir of Balantidium Coli
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Pigs are commonly infected and are the most
significant animal reservoirs.
Prevalence in pigs has been reported from 20% to 100%. Pigs typically do not show signs of
infection (i.e. they are asymptomatic carriers); indeed, Balantidium coli
is believed to live commensally in the large intestines of swine. However, infected pigs still shed vast
volumes of Balantidium coli in their feces. |
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Although Balantidium
coli infection of humans is rare, it is most likely to occur in places
where humans and pigs live in close contact.
Swine feces containing infective Balantidium coli cysts enter
water sources, and, without water sanitation, cysts are consumed with the
contaminated water. Humans who work
with pigs and do not wash their hands with clean water are also vulnerable to
infection from the animal reservoir. (See Transmission) Infection has also been
observed in non-human primates, and rodents have been experimentally
infected. |
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