title: In vitro reproduction of the life cycle of Pythium insidiosum from kunkers' equine and their role in the epidemiology of pythiosis.
abstract: Pythium insidiosum is an important pathogen of mammals' species, including humans. Equine is the main species affected by this oomycete. P. insidiosum requires an aquatic environment to develop its life cycle, and the susceptible hosts are contaminated when they contact the microorganism in swampy areas. The equine pythiosis is characterized by the formation of irregular masses within the cutaneous lesions, called kunkers, which easily detach from the lesion. From these structures, it is possible to isolate P. insidiosum in pure cultures. The present study aimed to reproduce in vitro the life cycle of P. insidiosum from kunkers of equine clinical lesions. Fifteen kunkers from different horses were tested. It was observed that the discharge of zoospores occurred after 24-48 h of incubation at 37 °C in, respectively, 40 and 47 % of the kunkers evaluated. Only two samples showed no development of the asexual cycle of P. insidiosum under the conditions tested. It was possible to demonstrate that kunkers are able to restart the asexual cycle of P. insidiosum. Based on our in vitro results, we highlight the importance of these structures in the epidemiology of the pythiosis, since kunkers can be a potential source of contamination of this oomycete for aquatic environments.
authors: Laboratório de Micologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Campus Capão do Leão, s/no, Prédio 18, Sala 14, Pelotas, RS, 96010-900, Brazil.
authors: Anelise Oliveira da Silva
authors: AO
authors: Fonseca
authors: Sônia de Avila
authors: Sde A
authors: Botton
authors: Carlos Eduardo Wayne
authors: CE
authors: Nogueira
authors: Bruna Ferraz
authors: BF
authors: Corrêa
authors: Júlia de Souza
authors: Jde S
authors: Silveira
authors: Maria Isabel
authors: MI
authors: de Azevedo
authors: Beatriz Persici
authors: BP
authors: Maroneze
authors: Janio Morais
authors: JM
authors: Santurio
authors: Daniela Isabel Brayer
authors: DI
authors: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses / Q000382:microbiology*; D058968:Pythiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D011775:Pythium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012100:Reproduction, Asexual