Natural infection with zoonotic subtype of Cryptosporidium parvum in Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) from Brazil.
A total of 145 capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) fecal samples from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, were screened for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts using the malachite green method. Eight samples (5.52%) showed positive results and were further submitted to nested PCR reaction for amplification of fragments of 18S rRNA gene and 60-kDa glycoprotein gene for determination of species, alleles and subtypes of Cryptosporidium. Sequencing of the PCR products of the 18S rRNA gene fragments and 60-kDa glycoprotein gene fragments showed that for both genes all Cryptosporidium isolates from capybara were respectively 100% genetically similar to a bovine isolate of C. parvum and to C. parvum subtype IIaA15G2R1. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of Cryptosporidium infection in this rodent. The finding of zoonotic C. parvum infection in a semi-aquatic mammal that inhabits anthroponotic habitats raises the concern that human water supplies may be contaminated with zoonotic Cryptosporidium oocysts from wildlife.
Meireles
Marcelo Vasconcelos
MV
Departamento de Clínica, Cirurgia e Reprodução Animal, Curso de Medicina Veterinária, UNESP, Rua Clóvis Pestana, 793, CEP 16050-680, Bairro Dona Amélia, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil. marcelo@fmva.unesp.br
Soares
Rodrigo Martins
RM
Bonello
Fábio
F
Gennari
Solange Maria
SM
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000469:parasitology
D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; C065610:sialoglycoprotein gp60