title: Molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of Entamoeba species in a chelonian collection.
abstract: Veterinary medicine has focused recently on reptiles, due to the existence of captive collections in zoos and an increase in the acquisition of reptiles as pets. The protozoan parasite, Entamoeba can cause amoebiasis in various animal species and humans. Although amoebiasis disease is remarkably rare in most species of chelonians and crocodiles, these species may serve as Entamoeba species carriers that transmit parasites to susceptible reptile species, such as snakes and lizards, which can become sick and die. In this study, we identified the Entamoeba species in a population of healthy (disease-free) chelonians, and evaluated their diversity through the amplification and sequencing of a small subunit rDNA region. Using this procedure, three Entamoeba species were identified: Entamoeba invadens in 4.76 % of chelonians, Entamoeba moshkovskii in 3.96 % and Entamoeba terrapinae in 50 %. We did not detect mixed Entamoeba infections. Comparative analysis of the amplified region allowed us to determine the intra-species variations. The E. invadens and E. moshkovskii strains isolated in this study did not exhibit marked differences with respect to the sequences reported in GenBank. The analysis of the E. terrapinae isolates revealed three different subgroups (A, B and C). Although subgroups A and C were very similar, subgroup B showed a relatively marked difference with respect to subgroups A and C (Fst = 0.984 and Fst = 1.000, respectively; 10-14 % nucleotide variation, as determined by blast) and with respect to the sequences reported in GenBank. These results suggested that E. terrapinae subgroup B may be either in a process of speciation or belong to a different lineage. However, additional research is necessary to support this statement conclusively.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Colonia Copilco Universidad, Delegación Coyoacan, México DF, CP 04510, México.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Colonia Copilco Universidad, Delegación Coyoacan, México DF, CP 04510, México.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Colonia Copilco Universidad, Delegación Coyoacan, México DF, CP 04510, México.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Gutiérrez
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Síntesis y Secuenciación de DNA, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca Morelos, CP 62210, México.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yañez
authors.affiliation: Herpetario de la Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Colonia Copilco Universidad, Delegación Coyoacan, México DF, CP 04510, México.
authors.forename: Mónica Salmerón
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Estrada
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Colonia Copilco Universidad, Delegación Coyoacan, México DF, CP 04510, México.
authors.forename: Lilian Hernández
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General Doctor Manuel Gea González, Calz de Tlalpan 4800, Tlalpan, México DF, CP 14000, México.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinez-Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Síntesis y Secuenciación de DNA, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca Morelos, CP 62210, México.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaytán
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002353:Carrier State / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004747:Entamoeba / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D014644:Genetic Variation; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012104:Reptiles / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S