Detection of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in small wild mammals in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

This study investigated the occurrence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in rodents and marsupials from the Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Two hundred and four fecal samples were collected from different forest areas in the municipalities of Ilhéus, Una, Belmonte, and Mascote. Identifications were performed using PCR and nested PCR followed by sequencing of the gdh and tpi genes for G. duodenalis, and the gp60 and Hsp-70 genes for Cryptosporidium. The total frequency of positive PCR samples for both G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. was 5.4% (11/204). Giardia duodenalis occurred in 2.94% (4/136) of rodents and 2.94% (2/68) of marsupials. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in rodents and marsupials was 1.47% (2/136) and 4.41% (3/68), respectively. In the areas sampled, the frequency of parasitism was 50% (7/14), while the Mascote region alone had no parasitized animals. The G. duodenalis subgenotype AI was identified in the rodent species Hylaeamys laticeps, Oecomys catherinae, Oligoryzomys nigripes and Akodon cursor, and in the marsupials Gracilinanus agilis and Monodelphis americana. In the rodents Rhipidomys mastacalis, H. laticeps and in the marsupial Marmosa murina the protozoa Cryptosporidium fayeri, Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum with subtypes IIa and IVg by the gp60 gene were found. In conclusion, this study provides the genetic characterization of Giardia and Cryptosporidium species and genotypes in rodents and marsupials. And, these findings reinforce that the rodent and marsupial species mentioned above play a role as new hosts for Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

Zoonotic Cryptosporidium and Giardia in marsupials—an update

“…Opossum genotype 1 is genetically very closely related to C. fayeri (only 0.38% divergent at the 18S rRNA locus) and is now considered a subtype of C. fayeri (Xiao et al 2002 ; Ryan et al 2008 ; Feng et al 2007 ), suggesting the species was present in marsupials prior to continental drift (Ryan et al 2008 ). Cryptosporidium fayeri has also been reported in Linnaeus’s mouse opossum in Brazil (Fehlberg et al 2021 ). There have been no reports of C. macropodum in South/North American marsupials.…”

“…parvum -like sequences were detected were shedding 0-100 oocysts per gram of faeces (OPG) (Hill et al 2008 ). Cryptosporidium parvum was also detected in eastern gray kangaroos (Nolan et al 2013 ; Koehler et al 2016b ) and two opossums in Brazil (Fehlberg et al 2021 ).…”

“…Kangaroos and wombats have been the most extensively sampled species, with prevalences of 0.7–4.2% and 0.3–20% reported, respectively (Table 1 ). In one study in Brazil, assemblage A was the only Giardia detected in a northern three-striped opossum and an Agile gracile opossum (Fehlberg et al 2021 ).…”

The State of Art of Extracellular Traps in Protozoan Infections (Review)

“…Giardia species mainly parasitize the human small intestine, gallbladder, and duodenum, causing giardiasis, and are among the common parasites causing human intestinal infection ( 46 ). These species are parasitic intestinal protozoans with a global distribution, infecting approximately 250 million people in developing countries ( 47 ). In addition to being endemic, the disease is also waterborne ( 48 ).…”

The roles of COX-2 in protozoan infection

“…Protozoan infections are found around the world but are mainly concentrated in developing countries. The most important diseases in humans include malaria ( 2 ), leishmaniasis ( 3 ), Chagas disease ( 4 ), and giardiasis ( 5 ). Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium , with parasites transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes ( 3 ).…”