Presence and molecular characterisation of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from Peru

Hipólito Gómez-Couso; Luis M. Ortega-Mora; Adriana Aguado-Martínez; Raúl Rosadio-Alcántara; Lenin Maturrano-Hernández; Luis Luna-Espinoza; Víctor Zanabria-Huisa; Susana Pedraza-Díaz

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.01.025

Presence and molecular characterisation of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from Peru

Hipólito Gómez-Couso, Luis M. Ortega-Mora, Adriana Aguado-Martínez, Raúl Rosadio-Alcántara, Lenin Maturrano-Hernández, Luis Luna-Espinoza, Víctor Zanabria-Huisa, Susana Pedraza-Díaz

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23 Scopus citations

Abstract

The presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium was investigated in 274 faecal samples of alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from 12 herds from Peru by immunofluorescence microscopy and PCR amplification and sequencing of fragments of the ssu-rRNA and β-giardin genes from Giardia spp., as well as the ssu-rRNA gene from Cryptosporidium spp. A total of 137 samples (50.0%) were positive for Giardia spp., and 12 samples (4.4%) for Cryptosporidium spp. In ten samples (3.6%), co-infection by both pathogens was found. Herd prevalence was found to be 91.7% (11/12 herds) for Giardia and 58.3% (7/12 herds) for Cryptosporidium. Regarding the age of the animals, although Giardia was detected in animals as young as 1 week, the prevalence increased with age, reaching 80% by 8 weeks. Similarly, the highest percentage of Cryptosporidium detection (20%) was also found in the 8 week-old group. By PCR, 92 of the 274 analysed samples were positive for Giardia. Sequencing of the amplicons showed the existence of Giardia duodenalis assemblage A in 67 samples; G. duodenalis assemblage E in 24 samples; and inconsistent results between the two molecular markers used in a further sample. Cryptosporidium was only detected by PCR in 3 of the 274 samples; Cryptosporidium parvum was identified in two samples and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum in one sample. This study is the first performing molecular characterisation of both parasites in Peruvian alpacas, and the first report of C. ubiquitum in this host. The identification of G. duodenalis assemblage A, C. parvum and C. ubiquitum, suggests that zoonotic transmission of these enteropathogens between alpacas and humans is possible.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	414-420
Number of pages	7
Journal	Veterinary Parasitology
Volume	187
Issue number	3-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.01.025
State	Published - 6 Jul 2012
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
HG-C is funded by USC through the Programme Angeles Alvariño of Xunta de Galicia (Government of the Autonomous Region of Galicia). For this specific study, HG-C was awarded a mobility grant by Xunta de Galicia and the European Social Fund. We would like to thank the Centro de Investigaciones de la Raya, University of the Altiplano-Puno for enabling the sample collection and Karol Guzmán and Jorge Maximiliano for their help and assistance. We also thank Dr. Jane Wheeler for the careful reading of this manuscript and helpful comments.

Keywords

Cryptosporidium
Giardia
Immunofluorescence microscopy
Molecular characterisation
Peru
Vicugna pacos

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Gómez-Couso, H., Ortega-Mora, L. M., Aguado-Martínez, A., Rosadio-Alcántara, R., Maturrano-Hernández, L., Luna-Espinoza, L., Zanabria-Huisa, V., & Pedraza-Díaz, S. (2012). Presence and molecular characterisation of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from Peru. Veterinary Parasitology, 187(3-4), 414-420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.01.025

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abstract = "The presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium was investigated in 274 faecal samples of alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from 12 herds from Peru by immunofluorescence microscopy and PCR amplification and sequencing of fragments of the ssu-rRNA and β-giardin genes from Giardia spp., as well as the ssu-rRNA gene from Cryptosporidium spp. A total of 137 samples (50.0%) were positive for Giardia spp., and 12 samples (4.4%) for Cryptosporidium spp. In ten samples (3.6%), co-infection by both pathogens was found. Herd prevalence was found to be 91.7% (11/12 herds) for Giardia and 58.3% (7/12 herds) for Cryptosporidium. Regarding the age of the animals, although Giardia was detected in animals as young as 1 week, the prevalence increased with age, reaching 80% by 8 weeks. Similarly, the highest percentage of Cryptosporidium detection (20%) was also found in the 8 week-old group. By PCR, 92 of the 274 analysed samples were positive for Giardia. Sequencing of the amplicons showed the existence of Giardia duodenalis assemblage A in 67 samples; G. duodenalis assemblage E in 24 samples; and inconsistent results between the two molecular markers used in a further sample. Cryptosporidium was only detected by PCR in 3 of the 274 samples; Cryptosporidium parvum was identified in two samples and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum in one sample. This study is the first performing molecular characterisation of both parasites in Peruvian alpacas, and the first report of C. ubiquitum in this host. The identification of G. duodenalis assemblage A, C. parvum and C. ubiquitum, suggests that zoonotic transmission of these enteropathogens between alpacas and humans is possible.",

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Gómez-Couso, H, Ortega-Mora, LM, Aguado-Martínez, A, Rosadio-Alcántara, R, Maturrano-Hernández, L, Luna-Espinoza, L, Zanabria-Huisa, V & Pedraza-Díaz, S 2012, 'Presence and molecular characterisation of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from Peru', Veterinary Parasitology, vol. 187, no. 3-4, pp. 414-420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.01.025

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T1 - Presence and molecular characterisation of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from Peru

AU - Gómez-Couso, Hipólito

AU - Ortega-Mora, Luis M.

AU - Aguado-Martínez, Adriana

AU - Rosadio-Alcántara, Raúl

AU - Maturrano-Hernández, Lenin

AU - Luna-Espinoza, Luis

AU - Zanabria-Huisa, Víctor

AU - Pedraza-Díaz, Susana

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N2 - The presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium was investigated in 274 faecal samples of alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from 12 herds from Peru by immunofluorescence microscopy and PCR amplification and sequencing of fragments of the ssu-rRNA and β-giardin genes from Giardia spp., as well as the ssu-rRNA gene from Cryptosporidium spp. A total of 137 samples (50.0%) were positive for Giardia spp., and 12 samples (4.4%) for Cryptosporidium spp. In ten samples (3.6%), co-infection by both pathogens was found. Herd prevalence was found to be 91.7% (11/12 herds) for Giardia and 58.3% (7/12 herds) for Cryptosporidium. Regarding the age of the animals, although Giardia was detected in animals as young as 1 week, the prevalence increased with age, reaching 80% by 8 weeks. Similarly, the highest percentage of Cryptosporidium detection (20%) was also found in the 8 week-old group. By PCR, 92 of the 274 analysed samples were positive for Giardia. Sequencing of the amplicons showed the existence of Giardia duodenalis assemblage A in 67 samples; G. duodenalis assemblage E in 24 samples; and inconsistent results between the two molecular markers used in a further sample. Cryptosporidium was only detected by PCR in 3 of the 274 samples; Cryptosporidium parvum was identified in two samples and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum in one sample. This study is the first performing molecular characterisation of both parasites in Peruvian alpacas, and the first report of C. ubiquitum in this host. The identification of G. duodenalis assemblage A, C. parvum and C. ubiquitum, suggests that zoonotic transmission of these enteropathogens between alpacas and humans is possible.

AB - The presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium was investigated in 274 faecal samples of alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from 12 herds from Peru by immunofluorescence microscopy and PCR amplification and sequencing of fragments of the ssu-rRNA and β-giardin genes from Giardia spp., as well as the ssu-rRNA gene from Cryptosporidium spp. A total of 137 samples (50.0%) were positive for Giardia spp., and 12 samples (4.4%) for Cryptosporidium spp. In ten samples (3.6%), co-infection by both pathogens was found. Herd prevalence was found to be 91.7% (11/12 herds) for Giardia and 58.3% (7/12 herds) for Cryptosporidium. Regarding the age of the animals, although Giardia was detected in animals as young as 1 week, the prevalence increased with age, reaching 80% by 8 weeks. Similarly, the highest percentage of Cryptosporidium detection (20%) was also found in the 8 week-old group. By PCR, 92 of the 274 analysed samples were positive for Giardia. Sequencing of the amplicons showed the existence of Giardia duodenalis assemblage A in 67 samples; G. duodenalis assemblage E in 24 samples; and inconsistent results between the two molecular markers used in a further sample. Cryptosporidium was only detected by PCR in 3 of the 274 samples; Cryptosporidium parvum was identified in two samples and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum in one sample. This study is the first performing molecular characterisation of both parasites in Peruvian alpacas, and the first report of C. ubiquitum in this host. The identification of G. duodenalis assemblage A, C. parvum and C. ubiquitum, suggests that zoonotic transmission of these enteropathogens between alpacas and humans is possible.

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KW - Immunofluorescence microscopy

KW - Molecular characterisation

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SN - 0304-4017

VL - 187

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ER -

Presence and molecular characterisation of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from Peru

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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