Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Cryptosporidium spp. Isolates from Bats in Colombia

Carlos Ramiro Silva-Ramos, Juliana Noriega, Rafael F. Fajardo, Sandra M. Chala-Quintero, Adriana Del Pilar Pulido-Villamarín, Jairo Pérez-Torres, Rubiela Castañeda-Salazar, Claudia Cuervo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium spp., frequently found in several animal species, including bats. Several Cryptosporidium genotypes have been described in bats worldwide, suggesting that bats are infected by host-specific Cryptosporidium spp. To date, there are no published reports about Cryptosporidium spp. in bats from Colombia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the presence and molecular diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in Colombian bats. Methods: A total of 63 gut samples from three bat species served for molecular detection of Cryptosporidium spp. 18S rDNA gene by qPCR. The sequenced amplicons were used in subsequent phylogenetic analyses to identify them as species or genotypes. Results: Cryptosporidium spp. qPCR detection occurred in 9.5% (6/63) of bat intestines, and four sequences represented two new genotypes, called Cryptosporidium bat genotypes XIX and XX, were identified. Conclusions: This study describes the detection of two novel Cryptosporidium bat genotypes, in two species of bats from a region of Colombia, requiring further studies to determine the relationhip between Cryptosporidium and bats in Colombia.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)676-682
Number of pages7
JournalActa Parasitologica
Volume68
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 02 Aug 2023

Keywords

  • Bats
  • Colombia
  • Cryptosporidium
  • Molecular detection
  • Animals
  • Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology
  • Feces/parasitology
  • Genotype
  • Phylogeny
  • Colombia/epidemiology
  • Chiroptera/parasitology
  • Cryptosporidium/genetics

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