title: Small rodents as reservoirs of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in south-western Poland.
abstract: Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. have been detected in a range of host species, including rodents. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of these pathogens and recognition of the reservoir role of rodents in the maintenance of these pathogens in south-western Poland. Additionally, preliminary molecular studies were conducted to elucidate the species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium and Giardia identified in this study. Stool samples (n=266) from A. agrarius, A. flavicollis and M. glareolus, were subjected for analyses. Values of prevalence were 61.7, 68.3 and 68.1%, respectively, for Cryptosporidium spp. and 41.7, 24.4 and 38.4%, respectively, for Giardia spp. There was a statistically significant correlation between host species and Giardia infection where A. agrarius was the species of the highest prevalence. Statistically significant differences were not found for comparisons made for study sites and occurrence of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. Due to preliminary nested PCR results, specific amplifications of Cryptosporidium COWP and SSU rRNA genes were obtained for several isolates taken from rodent host species. One isolate recovered from A. agrarius (from a semi-aquatic, urban area) was identified as C. parvum and revealed 100% similarity with sequences obtained from humans. To the best of the knowledge of the authors, this is the first record of the C. parvum zoonotic species from the striped field mouse. Also recorded were the first findings of C. ubiquitum from three small rodent species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, Wroclaw University, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perec-Matysiak
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, Wroclaw University, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Buńkowska-Gawlik
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology, Institute of Biology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zaleśny
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, Wroclaw University, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hildebrand
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005872:Giardia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051189:Murinae; D010802:Phylogeny; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054682:Ribosome Subunits, Small, Eukaryotic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D016053:RNA, Protozoan