Occurrence of the protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Cyclospora cayetanensis in the invasive Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus from the Lesina Lagoon (SE Italy)

Marianna Marangi; Nicola Lago; Giorgio Mancinelli; Oscar Lillo Antonio; Tommaso Scirocco; Milena Sinigaglia; Antonietta Specchiulli; Lucrezia Cilenti

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113428

Occurrence of the protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Cyclospora cayetanensis in the invasive Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus from the Lesina Lagoon (SE Italy)

Mar Pollut Bull. 2022 Mar:176:113428. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113428. Epub 2022 Feb 9.

Authors

Marianna Marangi¹, Nicola Lago², Giorgio Mancinelli³, Oscar Lillo Antonio², Tommaso Scirocco², Milena Sinigaglia⁴, Antonietta Specchiulli², Lucrezia Cilenti²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Science of Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources and Engineering (DAFNE), University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy. Electronic address: marianna.marangi@unifg.it.
² CNR-IRBIM, National Research Council - Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, 71010 Lesina, Foggia, Italy.
³ CNR-IRBIM, National Research Council - Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, 71010 Lesina, Foggia, Italy; Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy; CoNISMa, Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, 00196 Roma, Italy.
⁴ Department of Science of Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources and Engineering (DAFNE), University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.

PMID: 35150989
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113428

Abstract

The occurrence of the protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Cyclospora cayetanensis was molecularly investigated in the hemolymph, gills, stomach, hepatopancreas and gonads of the eleven invasive Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus from the Lesina Lagoon (Mediterranean Sea). Out of 11 blue crabs, 6 (54.5%) and 4 (36.4%) were found positive to T. gondii and C. cayetanenis, respectively; parasites were found only in the six females analysed, while the remaining five males resulted negative. Moreover, out of 55 tissues samples, 7 (12.7%) and 8 (14.5%) were positive to T. gondii and C. cayetanensis, respectively with hemolymph and gills being the most infected tissues. This is the first report of the presence of protozoan pathogens in wild crab species collected from a Mediterranean lagoon. The present results may provide a baseline reference on microbial infection in the species for invaded Mediterranean waters, and on the potential health risks related with its consumption if eaten raw.

Keywords: Callinectes sapidus; Introduced species; Mediterranean Lagoon; Microbiological contamination; Protozoan parasites.

MeSH terms

Animals
Brachyura*
Cyclospora*
Female
Italy
Male
Parasites*
Toxoplasma*