title: First molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia from Bubalus bubalis (water buffalo) in Victoria, Australia.
abstract: We conducted a molecular epidemiological survey of Cryptosporidium and Giardia from Bubalus bubalis (water buffalo) on two extensive farms (450 km apart) in Victoria, Australia. Faecal samples (n=476) were collected from different age groups of water buffalo at two time points (six months apart) and tested using a PCR-based mutation scanning-targeted sequencing-phylogenetic approach, employing markers within the small subunit of ribosomal RNA (designated pSSU) and triose phosphate isomerase (ptpi) genes. Based on pSSU data, Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium bovis and Cryptosporidium genotypes 1, 2 (each 99% similar genetically to Cryptosporidium ryanae) and 3 (99% similar to Cryptosporidium suis) were detected in two (0.4%), one (0.2%), 38 (8.0%), 16 (3.4%) and one (0.2%) of the 476 samples tested, respectively. Using ptpi, Giardia duodenalis assemblages A and E were detected in totals of 56 (11.8%) and six (1.3%) of these samples, respectively. Cryptosporidium was detected on both farms, whereas Giardia was detected only on farm B, and both genera were detected in 1.5% of all samples tested. The study showed that water buffaloes on these farms excreted C. parvum and/or G. duodenalis assemblage A, which are consistent with those found in humans, inferring that these particular pathogens are of zoonotic significance. Future work should focus on investigating, in a temporal and spatial manner, the prevalence and intensity of such infections in water buffaloes in various geographical regions in Australia and in other countries.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Harshanie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abeywardena
authors.forename: Aaron R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jex
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Samson-Himmelstjerna
authors.forename: Shane R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Haydon
authors.forename: Melita A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Robin B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gasser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000469:parasitology*; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005838:Genotype; D005872:Giardia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Bubalus bubalis; Cryptosporidium; Giardia; Restriction endonuclease fingerprinting (REF); Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis; Zoonotic potential