title: Identification of Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in an epizoological investigation of a laboratory colony of prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus.
abstract: Since 2005, black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) have been collected for use as research animals from field sites in Kansas, Colorado, and Texas. In January of 2012, Giardia trophozoites were identified by histology, thin-section electron microscopy, and immunofluorescent staining in the lumen of the small intestine and colon of a prairie dog euthanized because of extreme weight loss. With giardiasis suspected as the cause of weight loss, a survey of Giardia duodenalis in the laboratory colony of prairie dogs was initiated. Direct immunofluorescent testing of feces revealed active shedding of Giardia cysts in 40% (n=60) of animals held in the vivarium. All tested fecal samples (n=29) from animals in another holding facility where the index case originated were PCR positive for G. duodenalis with assemblages A and B identified from sequencing triosephosphate isomerase (tpi), glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), and β-giardin (bg) genes. Both assemblages are considered zoonotic, thus the parasites in prairie dogs are potential human pathogens and indicate prairie dogs as a possible wildlife reservoir or the victims of pathogen spill-over. Molecular testing for other protozoan gastrointestinal parasites revealed no Cryptosporidium infections but identified a host-adapted Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype group.
authors.affiliation: Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: DMRoellig@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Roellig
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health and Program in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Johanna S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Salzer
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Darin S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Jana M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Clifton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drew
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gallardo-Romero
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: M Shannon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Keckler
authors.affiliation: Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Langham
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Christina L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hutson
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Kevin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Karem
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health and Program in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.affiliation: Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Govinda S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Visvesvara
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Maureen G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
authors.affiliation: Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Inger K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Damon
authors.affiliation: Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D021862:Enterocytozoon / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005273:Fenbendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007756:Laboratory Animal Science; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000469:parasitology*; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D005273:Fenbendazole
keywords: Cynomys ludovicianus; Enterocytozoon; Giardia duodenalis; Giardiasis; Microsporidia; Prairie dog