Molecular study and genotyping of Cryptosporidium baileyi and Cryptosporidium parvum from free-range and commercial broiler chickens in Guilan province, Iran

Dominant infection of Cryptosporidium baileyi in broiler chickens in Zhejiang Province, China

Cryptosporidium is a common enteric parasite in chickens. A total of 812 fecal specimens were collected from 11 broiler farms in Zhejiang Province, China, and analyzed by nested PCR amplification based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The overall infection rate of Cryptosporidium was 6.3% (51/812), and five of 11 farms were Cryptosporidium positive. Broilers aged > 90 days accounted for the highest infection rate of 16.1% (6/56), followed by those aged 30-60 days (10.6%, 38/358) and 60-90 days (4/378, 1.1%). Two Cryptosporidium species were identified by sequence analysis, with the predominant species being C. baileyi (96.1%, 49/51) and the minor infection being C. meleagridis (3.9%, 2/51). Based on the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene, two C. meleagridis-positive isolates were identified as one known subtype, IIIbA24G1R1. This study indicated the common occurrence of C. baileyi in broiler chickens in this region and low zoonotic transmission potential of Cryptosporidium to humans.

Trematode Cercariae from Lymnaea gedrosiana in the Caspian Sea Littoral in Iran: a one health concern

Introduction

Lymnaea gedrosiana snails are hosts to a variety of trematode cercaria of public and veterinary health importance. In Guilan Province, Iran, a region with a high level of fish and bird farming and wetlands important for migratory birds, little is known about the trematode cercaria from L. gedrosiana.

Methods

From April 2020 to October 2021, six freshwater sites in Guilan Province were sampled for Lymnaeidae snails three times per season (spring, summer, autumn and winter). Snails were exposed to light and heat to induce cercaria shedding and shredded cercaria were identified morphologically and molecularly.

Results

In total, 5,712 Lymnaeidae snails were collected of which 3,288 (57.6%) were identified to be L. gedrosiana with 54.3% containing trematode cercaria. Snail and cercaria recovery were highest in the spring and summer. Trematode cercaria identified included Telorchis assula, Hypoderaeum conoideum, Apharyngostrigea pipientis, Sanguinicola cf. inermis, Opisthioglyphe ranae, Diplostomum pseudospathaceum, and Australapatemon burti.

Discussion

The four trematodes D. pseudospathaceum, S. inermis, A. burti, and A. pipientis have not been previously reported in Iran; all four of these can infect migratory birds. The most common cercaria found, H. conoideum (18.3% of the snails) is of zoonotic importance. The third most common cercaria found, S. inermis (10.0% of the snails) is detrimental to fish production. Given the importance of the wetlands in the region for wildlife and migratory birds as well as the number of fish and bird farms in the area, efforts to control L. gedrosiana snails are needed to protect wildlife and human health. In addition, monitoring programs should be implemented to identify and prevent introductions of new trematode species.

Cryptosporidiosis: From Prevention to Treatment, a Narrative Review

Cryptosporidiosis is a water- and food-borne zoonotic disease caused by the protozoon parasite of the genus Cryptosporidium. C. hominis and C. parvum are the main two species causing infections in humans and animals. The disease can be transmitted by the fecal-oral route as well as the respiratory route. The infective stage (sporulated oocysts) is resistant to different disinfectants including chlorine. Currently, no effective therapeutic drugs or vaccines are available to treat and control Cryptosporidium infection. To prevent cryptosporidiosis in humans and animals, we need to understand better how the disease is spread and transmitted, and how to interrupt its transmission cycle. This review focuses on understanding cryptosporidiosis, including its infective stage, pathogenesis, life cycle, genomics, epidemiology, previous outbreaks, source of the infection, transmission dynamics, host spectrum, risk factors and high-risk groups, the disease in animals and humans, diagnosis, treatment and control, and the prospect of an effective anti-Cryptosporidium vaccine. It also focuses on the role of the One Health approach in managing cryptosporidiosis at the animal-human-environmental interface. The summarized data in this review will help to tackle future Cryptosporidium infections in humans and animals and reduce the disease occurrence.

Development and Preliminary Application of a Triplex Real-Time Quantitative PCR Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, and Cryptosporidium parvum

Background

The protozoan parasites including Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, and Cryptosporidium parvum can infect the human intestinal tract and cause serious diseases. In this study, we aimed to develop a triplex real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) for the simultaneous differential detection of these three intestinal protozoa.

Methods

Specific primers and TaqMan probes were designed for the 16S-like SSU rRNA sequence of E. histolytica, the gdh sequence of G. lamblia, and the 18srRNA sequence of C. parvum. A triplex qPCR assay was developed based on single-duplicate experiments to evaluate its limit of detection (LOD), specificity, stability, and reproducibility. Additionally, 163 fecal samples from patients with diarrhea who tested positive for copro-antigen were tested to verify the practicality of the assay.

Results

The triplex qPCR assay could specifically detect E. histolytica, G. lamblia, and C. parvum without cross-reactivity amongst the target-specific TaqMan probes of these three intestinal protozoan parasites and did not produce amplification curves for any other non-target species, and had good specificity. Amplification of serial dilutions showed that the triplex qPCR detected as little as 500 copies/μL of standard plasmid DNA. The standard curve displayed good linearity between 5 × 10² and 5 × 10⁸ copies/μL; qPCR assays were performed with an efficiency of more than 95% and R² values were greater than 0.99. The triplex qPCR assay had good repeatability with intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation less than 1.92%. Among the 163 fecal samples, four samples were confirmed to be positive for C. parvum using the triplex qPCR assay.

Conclusion

The triplex qPCR established in this study not only provides a rapid, sensitive, specific tool for the simultaneous detection of E. histolytica, G. lamblia, and C. parvum, but also has good practical application value.

Genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in Hotan Black Chickens in China reveals two novel subtypes of Cryptosporidium meleagridis

A total of 617 fecal specimens were collected on 18 Hotan Black chicken farms in Southern Xinjiang, China, and tested for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. by PCR of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The overall infection rate by Cryptosporidium spp. was 11.5% (71/617), and ten of the 18 farms were positive. The infection rate by Cryptosporidium spp. was 14.5% (48/331) in the 30–60 d group, higher than chickens in the <30 d (12.0%, 15/125), 60–90 d (6.9%, 5/72), and >90 d (3.4%, 3/89) groups. Cryptosporidium meleagridis (n = 38) and C. baileyi (n = 33) were confirmed by sequencing analysis. A total of 25 of the 38 C. meleagridis-positive specimens were subtyped successfully at the gp60 gene, including one known subtype (IIIbA23G1R1, n = 1) and two novel subtypes, named IIIbA25G1R1 (n = 20) and IIIbA31G1R1 (n = 4). The results showed that infection by Cryptosporidium spp. in Hotan Black Chickens was common in this area and the distribution of C. meleagridis subtypes had regional characteristics.

UDP-Glucosyltransferases Induced by Nosema bombycis Provide Resistance to Microsporidia in Silkworm (Bombyx mori)

Simple Summary

Nosema bombycis (N. bombycis), an obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasite, is a virulent pathogen of the silkworm, that causes major economic losses. Although many studies have reported on B. mori host response to this pathogen, little is known about which genes are induced by N. bombycis. Our results showed that two B. mori uridine diphosphate-glucosyltransferases (UGTs) (BmUGT10295 and BmUGT8453) could be activated by N. bombycis and provide resistance to the microsporidia in silkworms. These results will contribute to our understanding of host stress reaction to pathogens and the two pathogen-induced resistant genes will provide a target for promoting pathogen resistance.

Abstract

As a silkworm pathogen, the microsporidian N. bombycis can be transovarially transmitted from parent to offspring and seriously impedes sericulture industry development. Previous studies found that Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) are involved in regulating diverse cellular processes, such as detoxification, pigmentation, and odorant sensing. Our results showed that BmUGT10295 and BmUGT8453 genes were specifically induced in infected silkworms, but other BmUGTs were not. Tissue distribution analysis of the two BmUGTs showed that the transcriptions of the two BmUGTs were mainly activated in the midgut and Malpighian tubule of infected silkworms. Furthermore, there were significantly fewer microsporidia in over-expressed BmUGTs compared with the control, but there were significantly more microsporidia in RNA interference BmUGTs compared with the control. These findings indicate that the two BmUGTs were induced by N. bombycis and provided resistance to the microsporidia.

Molecular prevalence and characterization of Cryptosporidium in domestic free-range poultry in Anhui Province, China

Free-range chickens might mediate the spread of Cryptosporidium oocysts to humans and other animals. Few studies have evaluated the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in domestic free-range poultry in China. Here, we characterized the prevalence and distribution of species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium in domestic free-range chickens, ducks, and geese in Anhui Province, China. A total of 1910 fresh fecal samples from three poultry species were examined from 18 free-range poultry farms by nested PCR and analysis of the Cryptosporidium SSU rRNA gene. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium species was 2.9% (55/1910), with infection rates of 1.3% (11/829) in chickens, 7.3% (36/487) in ducks, and 1.4% (8/594) in geese. C. baileyi (0.6%), C. meleagridis (0.2%), C. galli (0.2%), and C. xiaoi-like genotype (0.2%) were identified in chickens, and only C. baileyi was identified in ducks and geese, with infection rates of 7.4% and 1.3%, respectively. C. baileyi was the most prevalent species. Sequencing of the GP60 gene revealed that the C. meleagridis isolates belonged to the IIIbA26G1R1b subtype. This is the first study to document C. galli and C. xiaoi-like genotype in domestic free-range chickens in China. These findings expand the range of avian hosts known for Cryptosporidium and highlight the need for additional studies to characterize the diversity of Cryptosporidium in avian species.

Comparison of three diagnostic methods in the diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis and gp60 subtyping of Cryptosporidium parvum in diarrheic calves in Central Anatolia Region of Turkey

The aim of this study was to compare three diagnostic methods for the diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis and to detect subtypes ofCryptosporidium parvum by sequences analyses of gp60 gene in diarrheic calves in several herds in Konya province located in Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. Fecal samples were collected from a total of 194 pre-weaned calves (n=158, ≤15 days old, and n=36, 15 to 40 days old), with diarrhoea. For comparative diagnosis, all samples were examined by modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining of fecal smears for the presence of oocyst, nested PCR-RFLP of SSU rRNA and TaqMan qPCR for the detection of Cryptosporidium DNA. A total of 92 (47.4%) and 104 (53.6%) out of the examined samples were found positive by microscopic examination and molecular tools, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of microscopic identification were determined as 88.5% and 100.0%, respectively compared to molecular assays. Cryptosporidium parvum was the only detected species in all positive samples by species-specific qPCR and nested PCR-RFLP assays. Species identifications were further confirmed by sequence analyses of the SSU rRNA PCR products. There was no statistically significant difference in C. parvum prevalence between early pre-weaned calves and calves older than 15 days. The sequence analyses of the gp60 gene of C. parvum isolates revealed a one subtype IIaA13G2R1 belonging to zoonotic family IIa in diarrheic calves