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Dufernez F, Walker RL, Noël C, Caby S, Mantini C, Delgado-Viscogliosi P, Ohkuma M, Kudo T, Capron M, Pierce RJ, Villanueva MR, Viscogliosi E. Morphological and molecular identification of non-Tritrichomonas foetus trichomonad protozoa from the bovine preputial cavity. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2007; 54:161-8. [PMID: 17403157 DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2007.00247.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Tritrichomonas foetus is the causative agent of bovine trichomonosis. This protozoan is found in the preputial cavity of bulls and is transmitted to cows during coitus. Currently, the diagnosis of this parasite is based on microscopic examination of preputial washings or scrapings, but it was recently recognized that other trichomonads similar in size, shape, and motility to T. foetus can be present in preputial samples. Despite the serious consequences of an incorrect diagnosis for bovine trichomonosis, the precise speciation of these other trichomonads has remained uncertain. Here, a total of 12 non-T. foetus isolates were microscopically examined. On the basis of morphological criteria, seven of these isolates were identified as Tetratrichomonas sp., whereas four other isolates coincided with the description of Pentatrichomonas hominis. In the last isolate, a third non-T. foetus species was identified as belonging to the genera Pseudotrichomonas or Monocercomonas: the first time that species of either of these genera have been reported in preputial samples. To confirm these data, small subunit rRNA gene sequences were obtained by PCR from the 12 trichomonad isolates. These new sequences were analysed in a broad phylogeny including 72 other parabasalid sequences. From our phylogenetic trees, we confirmed the taxonomic status of non-T. foetus organisms isolated from preputial samples (Tetratrichomonas, Pentatrichomonas, and Pseudotrichomonas) and suggested the existence of two Tetratrichomonas species, despite their morphological similarity. The route of transmission of the non-T. foetus organisms identified in the bovine preputial cavity is discussed and we confirm that the PCR assay using the previously described T. foetus-specific primers TFR3 and TFR4 could be a useful alternative method for the diagnosis of bovine trichomonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Dufernez
- Inserm, U547, Institut Pasteur de Lille, 1 Rue du Professeur Calmette, BP 245, 59019 Lille Cedex, France
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Abstract
Trichomonads are occasionally observed in the feces of dogs with diarrhea. On the basis of superficial morphological appearance, these infections have been attributed to opportunistic overgrowth of the commensal, Pentatrichomonas hominis. However, molecular characterization of canine trichomonads has never been reported. This study was performed to determine, by means of rRNA gene sequence analysis, the identity of trichomonads observed in feces from dogs with diarrhea. Total DNA was isolated from fecal samples obtained from a 3-mo-old mixed breed dog and litter of German Shepherd puppies having profuse liquid diarrhea containing numerous trichomonads. Total DNA was subject to PCR amplification of partial 18S rRNA gene or 5.8S, ITS1, ITS2, and partial 18S and 28S rRNA genes using species-specific and universal primers, respectively. Products of 642 and 1864 base-pair length were amplified and cloned. On the basis of rRNA gene sequence, the trichomonads observed in the single dog and the litter of puppies shared 100% identity with Tritrichomonas foetus and P. hominis, respectively. The present study is the first to establish the molecular identity of trichomonads infecting dogs with diarrhea. These studies validate the longstanding assumption that canine trichomoniasis may be attributed to P. hominis. Importantly, these studies additionally recognize that canine trichomoniasis may also be caused by infection with T. foetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jody L Gookin
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA.
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Abstract
Tritrichomonas suis, a tritrichomonad of pigs, and the related species Tritrichomonas foetus, a tritrichomonad of cattle, are morphologically identical. The taxonomic relationship between these two tritrichomonads has been questioned ever since they were established as distinct species in 1843 and 1928, respectively. Here, we compare the similarities of morphology, ultrastructure, distribution, host specificity, characteristics of in vitro cultivation, immunology, biochemistry and analysis of molecular data from published sources between these two species. All data indicate that these two tritrichomonad species are identical. Thus, we propose that T. foetus and T. suis are synonyms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Rong Lun
- Center for Parasitic Organisms and Key Laboratory for Tropical Diseases Control of The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan (Sun Yat-Sen) University, Guangzhou 510275, The People's Republic of China.
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da Rocha-Azevedo B, de Melo-Braga MB, e Silva-Filho FC. Intra-strain clonal phenotypic variation of Tritrichomonas foetus is related to the cytotoxicity exerted by the parasite to cultured cells. Parasitol Res 2004; 95:106-12. [PMID: 15666185 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-004-1251-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2004] [Accepted: 09/27/2004] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
As observed in most of the investigated trichomonads, a strain of Tritrichomonas foetus includes different parasite subpopulations. Such population diversity might account for important properties such as the ability of the parasite to destroy host cells. The aim of this study was to characterize the cytotoxicity exerted by subpopulations (named as K1, K2, K3, K4 and K5) of an isolate of T. foetus on epithelial cultured cells. The five populations studied here destroyed epithelial monolayers at different rates (from 25% to 55%), even though the cytoadhesion level and whole-cell protease activity were closely related among them. We were also able to detect differences in contact-dependent and contact-independent cytotoxicity mechanisms among the five populations. An extracellular parasite protease had varying activity among the parasite populations. The intensity of contact-independent cytotoxicity was strictly related to the degree of enzyme activation, suggesting that such a protease might be involved in the cytotoxicity mediated by T. foetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno da Rocha-Azevedo
- Laboratório de Biologia da Superfície Celular, Programa de Bioengenharia e Biotecnologia Animal, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Levy MG, Gookin JL, Poore M, Birkenheuer AJ, Dykstra MJ, Litaker RW. Tritrichomonas foetus and not Pentatrichomonas hominis is the etiologic agent of feline trichomonal diarrhea. J Parasitol 2003; 89:99-104. [PMID: 12659310 DOI: 10.1645/0022-3395(2003)089[0099:tfanph]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, several investigators have reported large-bowel diarrhea in cats associated with intestinal trichomonad parasites. These reports have presumptively identified the flagellates as Pentatrichomonas hominis, a n organism putatively capable of infecting the intestinal tracts of a number of mammalian hosts, including cats, dogs, and man. The purpose of the present study was to determine the identity of this recently recognized flagellate by means of rRNA gene sequence analysis; restriction enzyme digest mapping; and light, transmission, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Levy
- Department of Farm Animal and Health Resource Management, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 4700 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606-1499, USA.
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Tachezy J, Tachezy R, Hampl V, Sedinová M, Vanacová S, Vrlík M, Van Ranst M, Flegr J, Kuldaa J. Cattle pathogen tritrichomonas foetus (Riedmüller, 1928) and pig commensal Tritrichomonas suis (Gruby & Delafond, 1843) belong to the same species. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2002; 49:154-63. [PMID: 12046599 DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2002.tb00360.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
A number of reports suggest that the sexually transmitted pathogen of cattle, Tritrichomonasfoetus, and a gastrointestinal commensal of pigs, Tritrichomonas suis, are very similar and may be co-specific. A conclusive review of the taxonomic and nomenclatural status of these species has not been presented so far. Toward this end, we reexamined and compared porcine and bovine trichomonads with regard to their morphology, pathogenic potential, and DNA polymorphism. Using light and electron microscopy, no distinguishing features between T. foetus and T. suis strains were found in size, general morphology, and karyomastigont structure. Both bovine and porcine trichomonads showed pathogenic potential in the subcutaneous mouse assays and did not separate into distinct groups according to strain virulence. Three DNA fingerprinting methods (i.e. RFLP, RAPD, and PCR-based analysis of variable-length DNA repeats) that produce species-specific DNA fragment patterns did not distinguish between the bovine and porcine strains. Sequencing of a variable 502-bp DNA fragment as well as comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences did not reveal species-specific differences between the cattle and porcine strains. Therefore, we conclude that T. foetus and T. suis belong to the same species. To prevent confusion that may arise from T. foetus-T. suis synonymy, we propose to suppress the older name suis and maintain its accustomed junior synonym foetus as a nomen protectum for both cattle and porcine trichomonads. The case has been submitted to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature for ruling under its plenary power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Tachezy
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Levy MG, Gookin JL, Poore MF, Litaker RW, Dykstra M. Information on parasitic gastrointestinal tract infections in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001; 218:194-5. [PMID: 11195822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
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Gault RA, Hall MR, Kvasnicka WG, Hanks DR. Characterization of antigenic proteins from Tritrichomonas foetus recognized by antibodies in rabbit serum, bovine serum and bovine cervicovaginal mucus. J Parasitol 1999; 85:244-51. [PMID: 10219303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tritrichomonas foetus is an obligate parasite of the bovine urogenital tract and is recognized as 1 of the more common infectious agents causing decreased reproductive efficiency in beef cattle. Infections result in reproductive failure and produce considerable economic loss. Vaccination of heifers with vaccines containing T. foetus induces elevated serological responses to many T. foetus antigens, decreases the rate and/or length of infection with T. foetus, and decreases fetal loss caused by infection. Because T. foetus infections are usually limited to lumen and mucosal surfaces of the reproductive tract, it has been assumed that protection from infection and abortion is partially mediated by immunoglobulins in the uterus and vagina. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize specific antigens of T. foetus that show promise for use in a recombinant vaccine that will generate a protective mucosal immune response in cattle. Surface proteins were identified by using polyclonal rabbit anti-trichomonal sera eluted from paraformaldehyde-fixed cells. Analyses of these proteins, utilizing mucosal antibodies from vaccinated and convalescent cows, have identified proteins involved in generating a local immune response. Western immunoblot analysis indicates that these proteins are well conserved and are excellent candidates for incorporation into a recombinant vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Gault
- School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture, University of Nevada, Reno 89557-0046, USA
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Abstract
Tritrichomonas foetus and Tritrichomonas suis isolates were cultivated axenically in Diamond's medium. Studies on the chromosome numbers of these two species with a light microscope were done by adding different concentrations of colchicine into the medium, incubating at 37 degrees C for 6-8 h and using a hypotonic swelling technique. The diploid chromosome numbers of both T. foetus and T. suis were 2n=10.
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Affiliation(s)
- W D Xu
- Centre for Animal Parasitology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
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Abstract
Tritrichomonas suis and T. foetus are characterized herein at the ultrastructural and biochemical levels. Microcinematography and measurements, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, cytochemistry for carbohydrate detection (Thiéry technique), and isozyme electrophoresis analysis were performed. In all, 11 different strains from 5 species of parasites were studied (T. foetus, T. suis, Trichomonas gallinae, T. vaginalis, and Monocercomonas sp.). A total of 11 enzymes were scored. Fine-structure study using scanning and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that T. suis and T. foetus are identical morphologically. The high degree of isozymatic similarity noted between T. suis and T. foetus is consistent with the hypothesis that they may be different strains of the same species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mattos
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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