Abstract
Cryptosporidium cuniculus is a zoonotic parasite responsible for cryptosporidiosis cases and outbreaks in both humans and rabbits. Since there are no molecular Cryptosporidium spp. infection data in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Spain, our aim was to gather information about this parasite in wild European rabbits from Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain). A total of 100 faecal samples were collected from rabbits from eight municipalities of Tenerife. Microscopic analysis showed that 4.0% of the samples presented structures compatible with Cryptosporidium oocyst. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene fragments was carried out, and sequencing confirmed the identity of C. cuniculus in one sample (1.0%). The sample was successfully subtyped using nested PCR analysis of the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene as the subtype VbA26R3. This study confirms the presence of C. cuniculus in wild rabbits from Tenerife, providing new information on the occurrence of this zoonotic parasite. Further studies are required to better understand the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. in wild rabbits in Spain and their possible public health repercussions.
Highlights
The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago composed of eight islands and five islets located in the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of northwest Africa (13◦23 –18◦8 W and 27◦37 –29◦24 N)
In four (4.0%) of the faecal samples screened by the Kinyoun method and light microscopy, Cryptosporidium oocyst-compatible structures were found
One sample was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the expected size, and it was identified as C. cuniculus by sequencing
Summary
The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago composed of eight islands and five islets located in the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of northwest Africa (13◦23 –18◦8 W and 27◦37 –29◦24 N). The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), an “invasive introduced” species [1] native to the Iberian Peninsula, was introduced to these islands in the 15th century [1]. Nowadays, it has been established as a species of economic and cultural interest in the islands, due to hunting activity and farming. The Canary Islands have 3.2% of the rabbit farms of Spain [2] and the wild rabbit is one of the small game hunting species in Tenerife [1]. Abundance was higher in areas of low elevation and slope [3]
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