Molecular Detection of Cryptosporidium cuniculus in Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Abstract

Cryptosporidium cuniculus is a zoonotic parasite responsible for cryptosporidiosis cases and outbreaks in both humans and rabbits. Since there are no molecular Cryptosporidium spp. infection data in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Spain, our aim was to gather information about this parasite in wild European rabbits from Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain). A total of 100 faecal samples were collected from rabbits from eight municipalities of Tenerife. Microscopic analysis showed that 4.0% of the samples presented structures compatible with Cryptosporidium oocyst. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene fragments was carried out, and sequencing confirmed the identity of C. cuniculus in one sample (1.0%). The sample was successfully subtyped using nested PCR analysis of the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene as the subtype VbA26R3. This study confirms the presence of C. cuniculus in wild rabbits from Tenerife, providing new information on the occurrence of this zoonotic parasite. Further studies are required to better understand the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. in wild rabbits in Spain and their possible public health repercussions.

Iberian wild leporidae as hosts of zoonotic enteroparasites in Mediterranean ecosystems of Southern Spain

“…In this study, Cryptosporidium infections were identified in 1% of wild rabbits and 2% of hares. These findings were similar to that (4%, 4/100) reported recently in wild rabbits in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) where the only isolate characterized belonged to C. cuniculus subtype VbA26R3 (Baz‐González et al, 2022). This result agrees with our molecular findings showing that Cryptosporidium ‐positive samples belonged to C. cuniculus gp60 subtypes in families Va and Vb.…”

“…These include diarrhoea‐causing enteric protozoans such as Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. (Baz‐González et al, 2022; Marhoon et al, 2018; Robinson & Chalmers, 2010), the microsporidia Enterocytozoon bieneusi (Li et al, 2019) and Encephalitozoon spp. (Martínez‐Padilla et al, 2020), and the stramenopile of uncertain pathogenic significance Blastocystis sp.…”

Epidemiology of Wildlife Infectious Diseases

“…Fonti et al [ 5 ] discuss how the hepatitis E virus circulates in wild deer, showing the zoonotic potential of consuming this game meat. At the same time, Baz-Gonzalez et al [ 6 ] studied the infection of Cryptosporidium in wild rabbits hunted for human consumption, highlighting a potential risk to public health.…”