A sharp rise in the global population and improved lifestyles has led to questions about the quality of both food and water. Among protozoan parasites, Cryptosporidium is of great importance in this regard. Hence, Cryptosporidium’s associated risk factors, its unique characteristics compared to other protozoan parasites, its zoonotic transmission, and associated economic losses in the public health and livestock sectors need to be focused on from a One Health perspective, including collaboration by experts from all three sectors. Cryptosporidium, being the fifth largest food threat, and the second largest cause of mortality in children under five years of age, is of great significance. The contamination of vegetables, fresh fruits, juices, unpasteurized raw milk, uncooked meat, and fish by Cryptosporidium oocysts occurs through infected food handlers, sewage-based contamination, agricultural effluents, infected animal manure being used as biofertilizer, etc., leading to severe foodborne outbreaks. The only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug, Nitazoxanide (NTZ), provides inconsistent results in all groups of patients, and currently, there is no vaccine against it. The prime concerns of this review are to provide a deep insight into the Cryptosporidium’s global burden, associated water- and foodborne outbreaks, and some future perspectives in an attempt to effectively manage this protozoal disease. A thorough literature search was performed to organize the most relevant, latest, and quantified data, justifying the title. The estimation of its true burden, strategies to break the transmission pathways and life cycle of Cryptosporidium, and the search for vaccine targets through genome editing technology represent some future research perspectives.

Cryptosporidiosis is the leading cause of life-threatening diarrheal infection, especially in infants. Oocysts contaminate the environment, and also, being a zoonotic disease, cryptosporidiosis is a threat to One Health. Nitazoxanide is the only FDA-approved drug, effective only in immunocompetent adults, and is not safe for infants. The absence of mitochondria and apicoplast, the presence of an electron-dense band (ED band), hindrances in its genetic and phenotypic manipulations, and its unique position inside the host cell are some challenges to the anti-cryptosporidial drug-discovery process. However, many compounds, including herbal products, have shown efficacy against Cryptosporidium during in vitro and in vivo trials. Still, the “drug of choice” against this protozoan parasite, especially in immunocompromised individuals and infants, has not yet been explored. The One-Health approach addresses this issue, focusing on the intersection of animal, human, and environmental health. The objective of this review is to provide knowledge about novel anti-cryptosporidial drug targets, available treatment options with associated limitations, and possible future shifts toward natural products to treat cryptosporidiosis. The current review is organized to address the treatment and prevention of cryptosporidiosis. An anti-cryptosporidial drug that is effective in immunocompromised individuals and infants is a necessity of our time.

Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic protozoan parasite-born disease, equally significant in both animals and humans, especially affecting immunocompromised individuals (e.g., AIDS patients) and neonates. The prime concerns of this review article are to demonstrate the disruption of the intestinal barrier and variations in the gut microbiome during cryptosporidiosis, and to explore host gut–parasite interactions that can lead to the development of novel therapeutics. The review concluded that the enteric barrier is particularly maintained by tight junction proteins (e.g., occludin, claudin, and ZO-1, etc.) and mucosal immunity, both of which are severely compromised during Cryptosporidium spp. infections, resulting in increased intestinal barrier permeability, inflammatory responses, diarrhea, and ultimately death in severe cases. Cryptosporidium-induced dysbiosis is characterized by reduced microbial diversity and richness, a shift from commensal to pathogenic bacteria, as evidenced by increased pro-inflammatory taxa like Proteobacteria, and reduced proportions of beneficial SCFAs producing bacteria, e.g., Firmicutes. Recent investigations have highlighted the interrelations between gut microbiota and epithelial barrier integrity, especially during cryptosporidiosis, demonstrating the modulations regarding tight junctions (TJs), immune reactions, and SCFA production, all of which are main players in alleviating this protozoal parasitic infection. This review comprehensively describes the fine details underlying these impairments, including autophagy-mediated TJs’ degradation, inflammasome activation, and gut microbiome-driven alterations in metabolic pathways, providing the latest relevant, and well-organized piece of knowledge regarding intestinal barrier alterations and microbial shifts during cryptosporidiosis. This work emphasizes the future need for longitudinal studies and advanced sequencing techniques to understand host gut microbiota–parasite interactions, aiming to formulate innovative strategies to mitigate cryptosporidiosis.

Virtual fencing (VF) technology represents an innovative approach to livestock management, utilizing GPS-enabled collars to establish invisible boundaries through auditory and mild electrical stimuli. While VF offers potential benefits such as enhanced pasture management flexibility and reduced labor costs, its widespread adoption faces challenges including high initial investment costs, connectivity issues, GPS accuracy limitations, potential device durability concerns, and individual animal variability in learning and response. Furthermore, despite studies showing rapid learning and generally minimal long-term welfare impacts, questions remain regarding optimizing training protocols, addressing occasional short-term behavioral disruptions and collar abrasions, assessing long-term welfare effects across diverse systems (especially intensive and dairy), and improving scalability. To comprehensively assess the potential and limitations of this technology and guide its future development and implementation, a review integrating existing knowledge on the efficacy, welfare implications, and practical applications of VF in cattle production systems is essential. This review examines the efficacy, welfare implications, and practical applications of VF in cattle production systems. Studies demonstrate that cattle rapidly learn to associate auditory cues with electrical pulses, achieving high containment rates (≥90%) within days, with minimal long-term welfare impacts as indicated by stable cortisol levels. However, short-term behavioral disruptions and occasional collar-related abrasions have been reported, particularly in dairy cattle. While VF enhances pasture management flexibility and reduces labor costs, challenges such as connectivity issues, individual animal variability, and high initial investment costs limit its widespread adoption. The findings suggest that VF is a promising tool for precision livestock farming, though further research is needed to optimize training protocols, assess long-term welfare effects, and improve scalability across diverse farming systems.

Necrotic enteritis is an important disease of poultry that causes economic loss to the broiler industry. Clostridium perfringens is an important bacterium that is responsible for causing necrotic enteritis. Antibiotics are mainly used to control C. perfringens but due to resistance antibiotics are banned in many countries like Canada, Hong Kong, and the European Union. Many alternatives such as probiotics, essential oils, and postbiotics have been developed to control C. perfringens. Among them, probiotics are very important because they can increase beneficial bacteria in the intestine, create a competitive environment in the gut region, and prevent the adhesion and colonization of pathogenic bacteria such as C. perfringens. Probiotics cause immune system modulation, reducing inflammatory markers such as cytokines. Lactobacillus based probiotics also cause weight gain, improve feed conversion ratio, and decrease mortality in poultry which in turn increase profit margin. Several studies have reported that when poultry populations were challenged with C. perfringens then these probiotics prevented intestinal lesions, provided anti-inflammatory effects to the intestine, prevented damage to the villi, and did not allow C. perfringens to form its colony in the intestine. The main aim of this review paper is to explain the updated information on necrotic enteritis, the damages caused to the gut, and the mechanism of actions through which Lactobacilli work against C. perfringens.

Goats (Capra hircus) are vital to global agriculture and food security, sustaining over 1 billion livelihoods, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. However, climate change has intensified heat stress (HS), threatening productivity, welfare, and economic viability. This review synthesizes four decades of research to elucidate the impacts of HS and evaluate mitigation strategies. HS disrupts homeostasis, reducing feed intake, impairing metabolic efficiency, and altering endocrine function. Reproductive performance declines by 30–50% in subtropical breeds due to suppressed oestradiol, follicular atrophy, and embryonic mortality. Indigenous breeds exhibit resilience via upregulated heat shock proteins (HSP70) and metabolic flexibility, whereas high-yielding breeds face severe milk yield losses (50% at THI >85) and carcass quality deterioration. Behavioural adaptations, such as shade-seeking and nocturnal grazing, mitigate heat load but reduce feeding efficiency. Nutritional interventions (e.g., antioxidants) and environmental modifications (such as shade and cooling systems) can alleviate stress, although their efficacy varies by breed and dosage. Phytochemicals, such as thyme-garlic blends, reduce oxidative stress by 50%, while melatonin supplementation stabilizes reproductive hormones. Chronic HS alters blood transcriptomics, suppressing immune pathways and metabolic homeostasis. Transport under HS exacerbates mortality risks and declines in meat quality, necessitating improved handling protocols. Effective strategies require integrating genetic selection, nutritional optimisation, and policy initiatives to support smallholder farmers. This review highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in safeguarding goat production in a warming climate.