title: Molecular identification of Entamoeba species in savanna woodland chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii).
abstract: To address the molecular diversity and occurrence of pathogenic species of the genus Entamoeba spp. in wild non-human primates (NHP) we conducted molecular-phylogenetic analyses on Entamoeba from wild chimpanzees living in the Issa Valley, Tanzania. We compared the sensitivity of molecular [using a genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)] and coproscopic detection (merthiolate-iodine-formaldehyde concentration) of Entamoeba spp. We identified Entamoeba spp. in 72 chimpanzee fecal samples (79%) subjected to species-specific PCRs for six Entamoeba species/groups (Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba nuttalli, Entamoeba dispar, Entamoeba moshkovskii, Entamoeba coli and Entamoeba polecki ST2). We recorded three Entamoeba species: E. coli (47%), E. dispar (16%), Entamoeba hartmanni (51%). Coproscopically, we could only distinguish the cysts of complex E. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii/nuttalli and E. coli. Molecular prevalence of entamoebas was higher than the prevalence based on the coproscopic examination. Our molecular phylogenies showed that sequences of E. dispar and E. coli from Issa chimpanzees are closely related to sequences from humans and other NHP from GenBank. The results showed that wild chimpanzees harbour Entamoeba species similar to those occurring in humans; however, no pathogenic species were detected. Molecular-phylogenetic methods are critical to improve diagnostics of entamoebas in wild NHP and for determining an accurate prevalence of Entamoeba species.
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre,Institute of Parasitology,Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic,Branišovská 31,370 05 České Budějovice,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kateřina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jirků-Pomajbíková
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology,Faculty of Science,Charles University in Prague,Vinicna 7,128 44 Prague 2,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Čepička
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Parasitology,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences,Palackého 1-3,612 42 Brno,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Barbora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kalousová
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre,Institute of Parasitology,Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic,Branišovská 31,370 05 České Budějovice,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jirků
authors.affiliation: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology,Pembroke Street,Cambridge CB2 3QG,UK.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,Ghent University,Salisburylaan 133,9820, Merelbeke,Belgium.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Levecke
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre,Institute of Parasitology,Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic,Branišovská 31,370 05 České Budějovice,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Modrý
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University,James Parsons Building,Rm653, Byrom street,Liverpool, L3 3AF,UK.
authors.forename: Alex K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Piel
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre,Institute of Parasitology,Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic,Branišovská 31,370 05 České Budějovice,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Klára J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Petrželková
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D004747:Entamoeba / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D065948:Grassland; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Entamoeba; chimpanzee; great apes; molecular diversity; savannah