Genetic characterization reveals evidence for an association between water contamination and zoonotic transmission of a sp. from dairy cattle in West Bengal, India.

sp. is an enteric parasite with zoonotic potential, and can infect a wide range of vertebrates, including human. Determining the source of infection and the mode of transmission in a new endemic region is crucial for the control of cryptosporidiosis. In the present study, we have assessed the importance of dairy cattle as a potential source of infection for humans in a newly recognized endemic region. isolates from dairy calves, humans (farm workers) and nearby water bodies were genetically characterized based on and genes. A high incidence of infection was identified in our study region. This finding is of public health concern. rather than has been identified as the most prevalent infecting species in the study region. Infections were associated with clinical symptoms of infected animals. An incomplete linkage disequilibrium (LD) value with potential recombination events at locus were identified for the first time in , which was previously reported as a clonal population. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of identical genotypes of a sp. from dairy calves, farm workers and nearby water bodies and indicates an association between water contamination and zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidiosis in our study region.