Evidence for a new species of Cryptosporidium infecting tortoises: Cryptosporidium ducismarci
Open Access
- 1 January 2010
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Parasites & Vectors
- Vol. 3 (1), 21
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-3-21
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis affects the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract of humans as well as of a wide range of companion, farm, laboratory and wild animals. In the past few years, three independent studies have provided strong evidence for the existence of a distinct Cryptosporidium species affecting tortoises and likely circulating in other reptile species as well. A new Cryptosporidium genotype was firstly detected and genetically characterized in a marginated tortoise in Italy in 2007 and named Cryptosporidium sp. ex Testudo marginata CrIT-20. The phylogenetic analysis of this isolate indicated that this Cryptosporidium was unique and belonged to the intestinal clade. These findings were later on confirmed by the detection of genetic homologies of isolates from a python and a chameleon from Spain and by recent research in the United States. The latter study presented both the occurrence of intestinal lesions in a pancake tortoise and a Russian tortoise and the genetic characterization of the isolates, together with the first pictures of the endogenous stages of Cryptosporidium CrIT-20. Phylogenetic inference based on the sequences representing small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (SSU) of these isolates confirmed the pathological findings because this Cryptosporidium was related to the intestinal group and supported previous results in T. marginata from Italy. The present scientific data on the Cryptosporidium CrIT-20 support its classification as a new species of Cryptosporidium causing intestinal diseases in tortoises. Although further morphological (i.e. exogenous stages) and biological aspects (i.e. complete host range) are yet to be elucidated, it is proposed that this Cryptosporidium is designated Cryptosporidium ducismarci.Keywords
This publication has 12 references indexed in Scilit:
- Cryptosporidiosis caused by two distinct species in Russian tortoises and a pancake tortoiseVeterinary Parasitology, 2010
- Taxonomy and species delimitation in CryptosporidiumExperimental Parasitology, 2010
- Molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium isolates from pet reptilesVeterinary Parasitology, 2009
- Molecular characterisation of species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium and Giardia and assessment of zoonotic transmissionInternational Journal for Parasitology, 2008
- Cryptosporidium from tortoises: Genetic characterisation, phylogeny and zoonotic implicationsMolecular and Cellular Probes, 2008
- Cryptosporidium varanii takes precedence over C. saurophilumExperimental Parasitology, 2007
- Occurrence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in mammals and reptiles at the Lisbon ZooZeitschrift für Parasitenkunde, 2005
- Cryptosporidium Taxonomy: Recent Advances and Implications for Public HealthClinical Microbiology Reviews, 2004
- Intestinal Cryptosporidium sp. infection in the Egyptian tortoise, Testudo kleinmanniInternational Journal for Parasitology, 1998
- Cryptosporidium in Snakes with Hypertrophic GastritisVeterinary Pathology, 1977