Diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in wild rodents from the Canary Islands, Spain

Katherine García-Livia,Pilar Foronda,Aarón Martín-Alonso

doi:10.1186/s13071-020-04330-9

Abstract

BackgroundCryptosporidium spp. are worldwide protozoan parasites which include species that can lead to cryptosporidiosis in humans. Different animal species can serve as reservoirs and sources of dissemination of the disease, such as rodent species due their potential in transmitting zoonotic pathogens to humans and other animals. In the Canary Islands (Spain), Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium hominis have been identified in patients with diarrhea. However, the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in possible reservoirs in this archipelago remains unclear. Considering the zoonotic potential of these protozoans, the aim of the present study was to determine the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in peridomestic wild rodents and the possible role of these mammals as a source of transmission of these protozoans in Canary Islands.MethodsA total of 179 rodents belonging to Rattus rattus and Mus musculus domesticus from four Canary Islands, La Palma, El Hierro, Tenerife and Lanzarote, were analyzed. Feces were screened for Cryptosporidium spp. by nested PCR of the 18S ribosomal RNA fragment and the sequences used for phylogenetic analyses.ResultsCryptosporidium spp. were found widely distributed with an overall prevalence of 12.30% in rodents (13.86% for R. rattus and 10.25% for M. m. domesticus). The overall prevalence by island was 19.60% for Tenerife, 7.14% for La Palma, 5.71% for El Hierro and 0% for Lanzarote. Cryptosporidium tyzzeri, Cryptosporidium meleagridis, Cryptosporidium muris and Cryptosporidium sp. rat genotype I and II/III were successfully identified, in addition to two unidentified Cryptosporidium genotypes.ConclusionsThis study contributes to the knowledge of the biodiversity and distribution of Cryptosporidium spp. in wild rodents from the Canary Islands, highlighting the presence of three zoonotic species, C. tyzzeri, C. meleagridis and C. muris, being the first detection of these three species in wild rodents in the Canary Islands and the first report of C. meleagridis in R. rattus. Given the results obtained in our study, future studies in non-sampled areas are required to better understand the epidemiology of these protozoans in wild rodents in the archipelago.

Highlights

Cryptosporidium spp. are worldwide protozoan parasites which include species that can lead to crypto‐ sporidiosis in humans
Considering the rodent species analyzed, both were found infected with Cryptosporidium spp., and no significant differences were found in relation to overall prevalence
The results obtained in our study suggest that Cryptosporidium sp. 1 may correspond to one unnamed Cryptosporidium genotype isolated from an environmental sample in Aragon and another unnamed genotype isolated from a storm event water sample from New York [82, 83]

Summary

Introduction

Cryptosporidium spp. are worldwide protozoan parasites which include species that can lead to crypto‐ sporidiosis in humans. Cryptosporidium spp. are worldwide protozoan parasites that can be found in the environment and parasitizing humans and an extensive group of wild animal species [1] They are considered common causes of water-borne and food-borne outbreaks and have been identified in different groups of domestic and wild animal species such as pets, livestock and rodents, among others [2,3,4,5,6]. Cryptosporidium species are resistant to various environmental conditions and are opportunistic pathogens responsible of cryptosporidiosis, a gastrointestinal disease with a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, where the severity and persistence of the infection are dependent on host factors and parasite characteristics [7]. Cryptosporidium spp. can cause cryptosporidiosis, a disease with mild to severe signs and symptoms depending on parasite-related factors, site of infection and nutritional and immune status of the host [8]. Cryptosporidium hominis is responsible for approximately 80% of human cases in European countries [11], and the main species causing illness in childhood (see [8])

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