Cryptosporidium ubiquitum, C. muris and Cryptosporidium deer genotype in wild cervids and caprines in the Czech Republic

Abstract

A total of 269 faecal samples of various game animals, including 136 red deer (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus), 64 European fallow deer (Dama dama [Linnaeus]), 26 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus [Zimmermann]), and 43 mouflon sheep (Ovis orientalis musimon Pallas) were collected at 15 game preserves across the Czech Republic and examined for infection with species of Cryptosporidium Tyzzer, 1910 using microscopy (following aniline-carbol-methyl violet staining) and molecular tools. Oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in one faecal sample originating from red deer. Ten positive cases of infection with cryptosporidia, including the case that was positive by microscopy, were detected using nested PCR. No associations between infection with cryptosporidia and diarrhoea were detected. Phylogenetic analyses based on the small subunit of the rRNA gene revealed the presence of three Cryptosporidium species/genotypes in ten positive samples: Cryptosporidium ubiquitum Fayer, Santín et Macarisin, 2010 was identified in five red deer, C. muris Tyzzer, 1907 in three samples (from a red deer, white-tailed deer and mouflon sheep), and Cryptosporidium deer genotype in two white-tailed deer. Subtyping of isolates of C. ubiquitum based on sequence analysis of the 60-kDa glycoprotein gene revealed that they belong to the XIId family. Finding C. muris and C. ubiquitum XIId for the first time in various wild cervids and caprines broadens their host range.

Prevalence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in deer in Henan and Jilin, China

“…1 ). The Cryptosporidium deer genotype was the predominant genotype ( χ 2 = 7.901, df = 1, P < 0.001), and had an identical sequence to that isolated from white-tailed deer (KR260681) in the Czech Republic [ 10 ].

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“…In this study, Cryptosporidium deer genotype was the most frequently detected. Small numbers of the Cryptosporidium deer genotype have been detected in red and roe deer in the UK [ 12 , 15 ] and in white-tailed deer in the Czech Republic [ 10 ], whereas in sika deer in Japan [ 9 ] and white-tailed deer in the USA [ 13 ], Cryptosporidium deer genotype was the only genotype detected. It appears to be a host-adapted genotype, which has so far only been identified in deer.…”

“…Cryptosporidium ubiquitum , previously called the Cryptosporidium cervine genotype, has been detected in sika deer in China [ 14 ], white-tailed deer in the USA [ 11 ], swamp deer in Nepal [ 5 ], roe deer in the UK [ 12 ], red deer in the Czech Republic [ 10 ] and deer in Australia [ 16 ]. In this study, three C. ubiquitum isolates were identified as zoonotic XIIa subtype 2, which has been found in domestic and wild ruminants, as well as in humans [ 34 ].…”

“…Although Cryptosporidium muris is typically a parasite of mice and rats, it has a wide range of host species, including rodents, cats, marsupials (bilbies) and other mammals [ 57 – 59 ]. Cryptosporidium muris has also been identified in human cryptosporidiosis cases in many countries, including Thailand, Iran, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Peru and France [ 60 – 67 ], and found in red and white-tailed deer in the Czech Republic [ 10 ]. Cryptosporidium suis naturally infects pigs worldwide, but has also been found in cattle, rodents, humans and chimpanzees [ 68 ], whereas the C. suis -like genotype has been reported in cattle and rodents, as well as in humans [ 12 , 69 , 70 ].…”

Zoonotic Cryptosporidium species and subtypes in lambs and goat kids in Algeria

“…However, studies of Cryptosporidium spp. in small ruminants are much smaller in numbers compared to those in cattle, especially from developing countries [ 4 – 6 ]. Data accumulated thus far indicate that cryptosporidiosis in small ruminants can lead to severe diarrhea, anorexia and weight loss in goat kids and lambs [ 5 , 7 – 9 ].…”