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Prediger J, Ježková J, Holubová N, Sak B, Konečný R, Rost M, McEvoy J, Rajský D, Kváč M. Cryptosporidium sciurinum n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Cryptosporidiidae) in Eurasian Red Squirrels ( Sciurus vulgaris). Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102050. [PMID: 34683369 PMCID: PMC8537388 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidium spp. are common protozoan pathogens in mammals. The diversity and biology of Cryptosporidium in tree squirrels are not well studied. A total of 258 Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) from 25 and 15 locations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, respectively, were examined for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and specific DNA at the SSU, actin, HSP70, TRAP-C1, COWP, and gp60 loci. Out of 26 positive animals, only juveniles (9/12) were microscopically positive (18,000 to 72,000 OPG), and molecular analyses revealed the presence of Cryptosporidium sp. ferret genotype in all specimens. Oocysts obtained from naturally-infected squirrels measured 5.54-5.22 μm and were not infectious for laboratory mice (BALB/c and SCID), Mongolian gerbils, Guinea pigs, Southern multimammate mice, chickens, or budgerigars. None of naturally infected squirrels showed clinical signs of disease. The frequency of occurrence of the ferret genotype in squirrels did not vary statistically based on host age, gender or country of capture. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences from six loci revealed that Cryptosporidium sp. ferret genotype is genetically distinct from the currently accepted Cryptosporidium species. Morphological and biological data from this and previous studies support the establishment of Cryptosporidium sp. ferret genotype as a new species, Cryptosporidium sciurinum n. sp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitka Prediger
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.P.); (J.J.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
| | - Jana Ježková
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.P.); (J.J.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
| | - Nikola Holubová
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.P.); (J.J.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Bohumil Sak
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Roman Konečný
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.P.); (J.J.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
| | - Michael Rost
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.P.); (J.J.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
| | - John McEvoy
- Microbiological Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, 1523 Centennial Blvd, Van Es Hall, Fargo, ND 58102, USA;
| | - Dušan Rajský
- Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia;
| | - Martin Kváč
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.P.); (J.J.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-387775419
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Ježková J, Limpouchová Z, Prediger J, Holubová N, Sak B, Konečný R, Květoňová D, Hlásková L, Rost M, McEvoy J, Rajský D, Feng Y, Kváč M. Cryptosporidium myocastoris n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Cryptosporidiidae), the Species Adapted to the Nutria ( Myocastor coypus). Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040813. [PMID: 33921541 PMCID: PMC8069493 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidium spp., common parasites of vertebrates, remain poorly studied in wildlife. This study describes the novel Cryptosporidium species adapted to nutrias (Myocastor coypus). A total of 150 faecal samples of feral nutria were collected from locations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and examined for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and specific DNA at the SSU, actin, HSP70, and gp60 loci. Molecular analyses revealed the presence of C. parvum (n = 1), C. ubiquitum subtype family XIId (n = 5) and Cryptosporidium myocastoris n. sp. XXIIa (n = 2), and XXIIb (n = 3). Only nutrias positive for C. myocastoris shed microscopically detectable oocysts, which measured 4.8–5.2 × 4.7–5.0 µm, and oocysts were infectious for experimentally infected nutrias with a prepatent period of 5–6 days, although not for mice, gerbils, or chickens. The infection was localised in jejunum and ileum without observable macroscopic changes. The microvilli adjacent to attached stages responded by elongating. Clinical signs were not observed in naturally or experimentally infected nutrias. Phylogenetic analyses at SSU, actin, and HSP70 loci demonstrated that C. myocastoris n. sp. is distinct from other valid Cryptosporidium species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Ježková
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.J.); (J.P.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
| | - Zlata Limpouchová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (B.S.); (D.K.); (L.H.)
| | - Jitka Prediger
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.J.); (J.P.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
| | - Nikola Holubová
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.J.); (J.P.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (B.S.); (D.K.); (L.H.)
| | - Bohumil Sak
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (B.S.); (D.K.); (L.H.)
| | - Roman Konečný
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.J.); (J.P.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
| | - Dana Květoňová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (B.S.); (D.K.); (L.H.)
| | - Lenka Hlásková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (B.S.); (D.K.); (L.H.)
| | - Michael Rost
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.J.); (J.P.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
| | - John McEvoy
- Microbiological Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, 1523 Centennial Blvd, Van Es Hall, Fargo, ND 58102, USA;
| | - Dušan Rajský
- Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia;
| | - Yaoyu Feng
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China;
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Martin Kváč
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.J.); (J.P.); (N.H.); (R.K.); (M.R.)
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (B.S.); (D.K.); (L.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-3877-75419
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Horčičková M, Čondlová Š, Holubová N, Sak B, Květoňová D, Hlásková L, Konečný R, Sedláček F, Clark M, Giddings C, McEvoy J, Kváč M. Diversity of Cryptosporidium in common voles and description of Cryptosporidium alticolis sp. n. and Cryptosporidium microti sp. n. (Apicomplexa: Cryptosporidiidae). Parasitology 2019; 146:220-33. [PMID: 30012231 DOI: 10.1017/S0031182018001142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Fecal samples from wild-caught common voles (n = 328) from 16 locations in the Czech Republic were screened for Cryptosporidium by microscopy and PCR/sequencing at loci coding small-subunit rRNA, Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein, actin and 70 kDa heat shock protein. Cryptosporidium infections were detected in 74 voles (22.6%). Rates of infection did not differ between males and females nor between juveniles and adults. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of eight Cryptosporidium species/genotypes including two new species, C. alticolis and C. microti. These species from wild-caught common voles were able to infect common and meadow voles under experimental conditions, with a prepatent period of 3-5 days post-infection (DPI), but they were not infectious for various other rodents or chickens. Meadow voles lost infection earlier than common voles (11-14 vs 13-16 DPI) and had significantly lower infection intensity. Cryptosporidium alticolis infects the anterior small intestine and has larger oocysts (5.4 × 4.9 µm), whereas C. microti infects the large intestine and has smaller oocysts (4.3 × 4.1 µm). None of the rodents developed clinical signs of infection. Genetic and biological data support the establishment of C. alticolis and C. microti as separate species of the genus Cryptosporidium.
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