title: Molecular survey of Tritrichomonas suis (=T. foetus) 'cat' and 'cattle' genotypes in pigs in Japan.
abstract: Tritrichomonas suis (=T. foetus) is a protozoan parasite of pigs, cattle and cats. Based on host range and genetic differences, T. suis has been divided into a 'cat genotype' and a 'cattle genotype', with the latter genotype capable of infecting both cattle and pigs. Since no information is currently available on the genetic characteristics of T. suis from pigs in Japan, we conducted a molecular survey of T. suis using fecal DNA from pigs in Japan. Of the 64 pigs examined, nested PCR revealed that 36 (56.3%) were positive for T. suis. Sequence analysis of 8 positive samples showed that 7 of the pig isolates belonged to the 'cattle genotype' and the remaining isolate belonged to the 'cat genotype'. The findings revealed that T. suis infection is common in pigs in Japan and that pigs can be infected by both genotypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathological and Preventive Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan.
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: Niichiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Yuzaburo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oku
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005838:Genotype; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D016835:Tritrichomonas foetus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer