A review on parasitic zoonoses in Bangladesh

Parasitic zoonoses pose a significant public health threat in Bangladesh, yet a comprehensive synthesis of available evidence has been lacking. This review compiled peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025 to summarize the epidemiology, transmission dynamics, risk factors, and control strategies for major zoonotic parasites affecting humans, livestock, pets, and wildlife across Bangladesh’s diverse ecological settings. Among protozoan parasites, Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 2.77–9.20% of human samples and 5.00–15.70% of cattle samples, with three novel zoonotic subtypes recently identified in shared human-calf environments. Giardia duodenalis was found across 12.71–80.89% of human samples and 5.70–22.00% of calves, with assemblages A and B predominating, while Toxoplasma gondii was detected in aborted fetuses of sheep and goats, underscoring its reproductive impact in small ruminants. Fascioliasis prevalence in ruminants was up to 66.14%, with hybrid Fasciola species documented in flood-prone lowlands. Strongyloides stercoralis had a prevalence of 23.10–25.00% in humans; schistosomiasis affected 1.50–47.50% of surveyed animals; and human cercarial dermatitis was reported in 53.30% of river-basin communities. Soil-transmitted helminths persisted despite sanitation improvements, and vector-borne parasites transmitted by ticks, fleas, and sandflies were documented across multiple host species. Parasite diversity was highest in the Dhaka and Chattogram divisions. Key risk factors included seasonal flooding, poor sanitation, open defecation, close human-livestock contact, inadequate deworming, and limited diagnostic capacity. Collectively, these findings reveal critical surveillance gaps and underscore the urgent need for an integrated One Health approach combining molecular diagnostics, targeted deworming, vector control, and intersectoral coordination to reduce the burden of parasitic zoonoses in Bangladesh. Data availability Boolean search strings for PubMed are available in Supplementary file 1.