title: Cryptosporidium erinacei n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Cryptosporidiidae) in hedgehogs.
abstract: The morphological, biological, and molecular characteristics of Cryptosporidium hedgehog genotype are described, and the species name Cryptosporidium erinacei n. sp. is proposed to reflect its specificity for hedgehogs under natural and experimental conditions. Oocysts of C. erinacei are morphologically indistinguishable from Cryptosporidium parvum, measuring 4.5-5.8 μm (mean=4.9 μm) × 4.0-4.8 μm (mean=4.4 μm) with a length to width ratio of 1.13 (1.02-1.35) (n=100). Oocysts of C. erinacei obtained from a naturally infected European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) were infectious for naïve 8-week-old four-toed hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris); the prepatent period was 4-5 days post infection (DPI) and the patent period was longer than 20 days. C. erinacei was not infectious for 8-week-old SCID and BALB/c mice (Mus musculus), Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), or golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit rRNA, 60 kDa glycoprotein, actin, Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein, thrombospondin-related adhesive protein of Cryptosporidium-1, and heat shock protein 70 gene sequences revealed that C. erinacei is genetically distinct from previously described Cryptosporidium species.
authors: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Czech Republic. Electronic address: kvac@paru.cas.cz.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Kváč
authors: Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; CEITEC - VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors: Lada
authors: L
authors: Hofmannová
authors: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors: Lenka
authors: L
authors: Hlásková
authors: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors: Dana
authors: D
authors: Květoňová
authors: Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors: Jiří
authors: J
authors: Vítovec
authors: Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, USA.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: McEvoy
authors: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors: Bohumil
authors: B
authors: Sak
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics*; D020459:Genes, rRNA / Q000235:genetics; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006364:Hedgehogs / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D033661:Oocysts / Q000166:cytology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C106305:oocyst wall protein, Cryptosporidium; C069428:thrombospondin-related adhesive protein, protozoan
keywords: Cryptosporidium erinacei; Cryptosporidium hedgehog genotype; Molecular analyses; Morphology; Taxonomy; Transmission studies