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Molecular characterization of bovine Cryptosporidium isolated from diarrheic calves in the Sudan

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Abstract

Cryptosporidiosis is a common protozoan infection causing morbidity and mortality in young cattle and may be zoonotically transmitted to humans. So far, there is no data available on the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in the Sudan. The aim of this study was to isolate, identify, and genotype Cryptosporidium oocysts sampled from diarrheic calves housed at different farms in three different municipalities in Khartoum State (Khartoum, Khartoum North, Omdurman). A total of 149 fecal samples were evaluated microscopically for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method and 87 (58.3%) samples tested positive. Positive and negative samples were further analyzed by nested PCR targeting the SSU rRNA region. Positive samples were subjected to restriction enzyme analysis of PCR amplicons (PCR-RFLP). Nested PCR identified Cryptosporidium DNA in 53 samples (35.5%); restriction digestion of the PCR products revealed the presence of C. parvum (73.5%), C. ryanae (13.2%), C. andersoni (7.5%), and C. bovis (1.8%). Species distribution was clearly related to age with C. parvum being the predominant species in dysenteric pre-weaned calves. Sequencing of three genes (SSU rRNA, COWP, and GP60) for three C. parvum isolates originating from the three different municipalities showed that all belong to C. parvum subtype family IId. Based on data obtained by GP60, sequencing the two C. parvum isolates from Khartoum and Omdurman represent subtype IIdA18G1, whereas oocysts isolated in Khartoum North belong to subtype IIdA19G1. The observed genotypes are zoonotic and thus C. parvum in calves is potentially a health risk to humans in Khartoum State, Sudan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported attempt to characterize Cryptosporidium isolated from cattle in the Sudan.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD scholarship and Ministry of Higher Education, Sudan for funding this work. Also we would like to thank the University of Khartoum particularly the faculty dean of Veterinary Medicine Prof. Emadeldin Elamin Eltahir.

Particular thanks to Sandra Gawlowska, Institute of Parasitology, Leipzig University, for her excellent work and technical support in molecular works.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Medicine and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 32, Khartoum North, Sudan

    Shahinaz Taha & Khitma Elmalik

  2. Institute of Parasitology, Leipzig University, An den Tierkliniken 35, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Shahinaz Taha, Berit Bangoura, Matthias Lendner & Arwid Daugschies

  3. Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, 1174 Snowy Range Rd, Laramie, WY, 82070, USA

    Berit Bangoura

  4. Department of Pathology, Parasitology and Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sudan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 204, Khartoum, Sudan

    Ehab Mossaad

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  1. Shahinaz Taha
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  2. Khitma Elmalik
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  3. Berit Bangoura
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  4. Matthias Lendner
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  5. Ehab Mossaad
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  6. Arwid Daugschies
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Correspondence to Arwid Daugschies.

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Taha, S., Elmalik, K., Bangoura, B. et al. Molecular characterization of bovine Cryptosporidium isolated from diarrheic calves in the Sudan. Parasitol Res 116, 2971–2979 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-017-5606-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-017-5606-8

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