Molecular identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in China

Qiyuan Zhang; Junqiang Li; Zhiguo Li; Chunyan Xu; Minyu Hou; Meng Qi

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.06.007

Molecular identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in China

Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2020 Jun 20:12:181-184. doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.06.007. eCollection 2020 Aug.

Authors

Qiyuan Zhang¹, Junqiang Li², Zhiguo Li¹, Chunyan Xu¹, Minyu Hou¹, Meng Qi¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Animal Science, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang, 843300, China.
² Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China.

Abstract

Cryptosporidium is a ubiquitous protozoan in human and animals. To investigate the genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in alpaca (Vicugna pacos) in China, 484 fecal samples from alpacas were collected at nine sites, and Cryptosporidium spp. were screened with PCR amplification of the small subunit ribosome RNA (SSU rRNA) locus. Cryptosporidium spp. infected 2.9% (14/484) of the alpacas. Of the nine collection sites, two were positive for Cryptosporidium, Wensu (3.0%, 3/100) and Qinghe (31.4%, 11/35). Three Cryptosporidium species were identified: C. parvum (n = 2), C. ubiquitum (n = 1), and C. occultus (n = 11). Cryptosporidium parvum and C. ubiquitum were further subtyped with the 60-kDa glycoprotein locus (gp60). The two C. parvum isolates were subtype IIdA15G1, but the one C. ubiquitum isolate was not subtyped successfully. A phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Cryptosporidium isolates clustered with previously identified species. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Cryptosporidium infections in alpacas in China and provides baseline data for the study of Cryptosporidium in alpacas in China.

Keywords: Alpaca; China; Cryptosporidium; Molecular identification.