Identification of Cryptosporidium felis in a cow by morphologic and molecular methods.
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Apicomplexan Cryptosporidium parasites infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts. While some species are limited to a single host group, such as Cryptosporidium baileyi, which infects chickens, other species of this genus, such as C. parvum, infect a wide range of mammalian species from mice to humans. During an investigation of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle on a farm in northern Poland, we identified an infection caused by C. felis, in addition to known infections with C. muris and C. parvum. This new infection was identified based on the size of the oocysts (mean size, 4.3 +/- 0.4 micrometer; range, 3.5 to 5.0 micrometer), as well as by analysis of the molecular sequence of the variable region of the small-subunit rRNA. This finding demonstrates the complex host specificity and circulation in the environment of Cryptosporidium species. (+info)
Phylogenetic analysis of Cryptosporidium parasites based on the small-subunit rRNA gene locus.
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Biological data support the hypothesis that there are multiple species in the genus Cryptosporidium, but a recent analysis of the available genetic data suggested that there is insufficient evidence for species differentiation. In order to resolve the controversy in the taxonomy of this parasite genus, we characterized the small-subunit rRNA genes of Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium baileyi, Cryptosporidium muris, and Cryptosporidium serpentis and performed a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Cryptosporidium. Our study revealed that the genus Cryptosporidium contains the phylogenetically distinct species C. parvum, C. muris, C. baileyi, and C. serpentis, which is consistent with the biological characteristics and host specificity data. The Cryptosporidium species formed two clades, with C. parvum and C. baileyi belonging to one clade and C. muris and C. serpentis belonging to the other clade. Within C. parvum, human genotype isolates and guinea pig isolates (known as Cryptosporidium wrairi) each differed from bovine genotype isolates by the nucleotide sequence in four regions. A C. muris isolate from cattle was also different from parasites isolated from a rock hyrax and a Bactrian camel. Minor differences were also detected between C. serpentis isolates from snakes and lizards. Based on the genetic information, a species- and strain-specific PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism diagnostic tool was developed. (+info)
Age-dependent resistance to Cryptosporidium muris (strain MCR) infection in golden hamsters and mice.
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An age-dependent aspect of resistance to Cryptosporidium muris (strain MCR) infection was monitored in Syrian golden hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus, at 1-, 5- and 10-week of age and in ICR mice. Mus musculus, at 3-, 12-, and 15-week of age orally inoculated with a single dose of 2 x 10(6) oocysts, respectively. The prepatent periods for both animals were similar, independent of age, but the patency was significantly longer in younger hamsters (P < 0.001) and a long tendency in younger mice. Hamsters infected at 1-week of age excreted about 10 times higher oocysts than those at 5- and 10-week of age. However, the total oocyst output was similar among mice of different ages. There was a good correlation between the length of the patency and the total oocyst output in hamsters (R = 0.9646), but not in mice (R = 0.4561). The immunogenicity of the parasite to homologous challenge infections was very strong in hamsters and relatively strong in mice. These results indicate that acquired resistance to C. muris infection is age-related and the innate resistance is independent of age of hamsters, and that both innate and acquired resistance, on the contrary, are irrespective of age of mice. (+info)
False-positive results obtained with the Alexon ProSpecT Cryptosporidium enzyme immunoassay.
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Cryptosporidium is known to cause diarrhea in immunocompromised patients and is also associated with outbreaks of disease due to food-borne and waterborne parasites. Traditional procedures, involving iodine staining of wet mounts of stool sediments and trichrome staining, lack the sensitivity to detect Cryptosporidium. Special staining procedures, such as the modified acid-fast and safranin stains, are generally employed. Less labor-intensive antigen detection assays have simplified detection; however, careful attention to local epidemiology is important because false-positive tests occur. Here, we report two incidents involving 62 false-positive results obtained with the Alexon ProSpecT Cryptosporidium enzyme immunoassay, which were deemed false-positive based on negative results obtained from extensive microscopic examinations. (+info)
New cryptosporidium genotypes in HIV-infected persons.
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Using DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, we identified four distinct Cryptosporidium genotypes in HIV-infected patients: genotype 1 (human), genotype 2 (bovine) Cryptosporidium parvum, a genotype identical to C. felis, and one identical to a Cryptosporidium sp. isolate from a dog. This is the first identification of human infection with the latter two genotypes. (+info)
Determinants of antibodies to Cryptosporidium infection among gay and bisexual men with HIV infection.
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A cross-sectional serosurvey for markers of prior Cryptosporidium infection was conducted among homosexual or bisexual males infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); of 262 individuals approached, 236 (90%) agreed to participate. Serological response to two Cryptosporidium antigens was measured using a Western blot assay. The intensity or detection of serological responses to two Cryptosporidium antigens was not associated with CD4 cell counts or tap water consumption. A number of sexual practices were related to increased serological response for only the 27-kDa marker, including having had sex within the past 2 years, having anal sex and having had a larger number of sex partners during the past 2 years. Attending a spa or sauna was related to serological response to both the 27-kDa and 17-kDa markers. Based on these results, activities related to sexual activity appear to be a significant risk factors for prior Cryptosporidium infection. (+info)
Infectivity to hosts of the endogenous stages of chicken and murine Cryptosporidium.
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Five groups of 4 mice each were inoculated with 10(6) Cryptosporidium muris oocysts. They were necropsied on days 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. The stomach mucosa from each group were made into 10% suspension in physiological saline and were orally inoculated to 2 mice each. Recipients given suspension from infected mice on day 6, 8 and 10 shed oocysts from 6, 9 and 6, respectively. Similarly, White Leghorn received 10(6) Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts were killed daily between 1 and 6 days. Recipients given bursa of Fabricius or caecum of donor birds on days 4, 5 and 6 shed oocysts. The endogenous stages of murine and chicken Cryptosporidium were able to infect the appropriate host. (+info)
Genetic diversity within Cryptosporidium parvum and related Cryptosporidium species.
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To assess the genetic diversity in Cryptosporidium parvum, we have sequenced the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene of seven Cryptosporidium spp., various isolates of C. parvum from eight hosts, and a Cryptosporidium isolate from a desert monitor. Phylogenetic analysis of the SSU rRNA sequences confirmed the multispecies nature of the genus Cryptosporidium, with at least four distinct species (C. parvum, C. baileyi, C. muris, and C. serpentis). Other species previously defined by biologic characteristics, including C. wrairi, C. meleagridis, and C. felis, and the desert monitor isolate, clustered together or within C. parvum. Extensive genetic diversities were present among C. parvum isolates from humans, calves, pigs, dogs, mice, ferrets, marsupials, and a monkey. In general, specific genotypes were associated with specific host species. A PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique previously developed by us could differentiate most Cryptosporidium spp. and C. parvum genotypes, but sequence analysis of the PCR product was needed to differentiate C. wrairi and C. meleagridis from some of the C. parvum genotypes. These results indicate a need for revision in the taxonomy and assessment of the zoonotic potential of some animal C. parvum isolates. (+info)