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GENOTYPES OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM INFECTING FUR-BEARING MAMMALS DIFFER FROM THOSE INFECTING HUMANS
Citation:
Zhou, L., R. Fayer, J. Trout, F W. Schaefer III, AND L. Xiao. GENOTYPES OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM INFECTING FUR-BEARING MAMMALS DIFFER FROM THOSE INFECTING HUMANS. APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY 70(12):7574-7577, (2004).
Impact/Purpose:
1) Refine new, practical methods for the detection of CCL-related and emerging waterborne human protozoa.
2) Perform field tests of devices or methods that have been developed under this task.
3) Evaluate these methods or devices in a variety of water matrices and parasite concentrations.
This work in this task supports CCL2 and 3 and is expected to be completed by 9/07.
Description:
To evaluate the public health significance of wildlife Cryptosporidium spp., five species of small wild mammals (beavers, muskrats, otters, raccoons, and foxes) living in Chesapeake Bay watersheds were examined in this study for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp., using a small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene-based PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique (PCR-RFLP). A total of 471 fecal samples were collected, and 36 samples from four animal species (fox, raccoon, muskrat and beaver) were positive for five distinct Cryptosporidium spp.: C. canis dog genotype (1), C. canis fox genotype (4), Cryptosporidium muskrat genotype I (24), Cryptosporidium muskrat genotype II (6), and Cryptosporidium skunk genotype (2). Most animals had only one type of Cryptosporidium sp., with one muskrat having two types of Cryptosporidium (muskrat genotype I and II). Results of the study indicated that wildlife in watersheds carried host-adapted Cryptosporidium spp., which have no significant public health importance.